


Windbound

by herumtreiber



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, M/M, Multi, Romance, Wizengamot politics, marriage law
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-18
Updated: 2013-04-24
Packaged: 2017-11-29 17:41:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 22,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/689669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/herumtreiber/pseuds/herumtreiber
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My take on the Marriage Law which ineluctably leads to marriage equality. Should they obey the government’s edict or fight it using Muggle politics? There's a twist exploring how a Horcrux operates, and Hufflepuff is broadly represented.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter one

 

**September 10th, 1998**  
Hogwarts  
  
Hermione Granger walked rapidly to the Library, adroitly evading Peeves' prank. She wore neatly her school uniform; her bushy hair was a bit tamed thanks to Ginny's advice. The petite redhead had read in Witch Weekly a new spell to tame hair, developed by Avernius Lockhart. This individual was the cousin of the Gilderoy Lockhart who was in St. Mungo's. He shared the same narcissistic qualities but Avernius used them positively at least.  
  
Hermione still had to do the Ancient Runes homework. Unfortunately none of the Gryffindors took that class, except for Lavender Brown; she was determined to let the blonde bimbo flounder on her own.  
  
The Library was almost deserted, only Susan Bones and Terry Boot were there. Hermione made her determined way to her favourite table and sat down. She soon heard a boy greeting Terry and Susan. That person put down some books next to her. She turned and looked at the Slytherin, Draco Malfoy. He still looked thin after having endured one year under the watchful eyes of Riddle Jr. He had cut his hair short and did not look as pale as he did before, having gone to Barcelona for two weeks.  
  
Hermione remembered the scene ten days after the Battle, when she and her two best friends were having breakfast in 12 Grimmauld Place. They had witnessed the sudden arrival of a regal Eagle owl bearing an urgent missive from Draco, asking for their help to keep the Malfoys free.  
  
Predictably, Ron was of a mind to let them fend for themselves. Hermione initially agreed with that viewpoint until Harry made an impassioned speech about extending olive branches to former enemies. The brunet made the point that the Malfoys committed grievous mistakes but in the end they abstained from battle, seeking only to help each other.  
  
Having been moved by Harry's plea, Hermione concurred. Later the two of them would give their testimony at a plenary session of the Wizengamot. In a fit of pique, Ron decided to spend that day in the Burrow.  
  
In front of the Wizengamot, the two Gryffindors spoke about the fact that Draco Malfoy kept their identity secret, that fateful day at the Manor. Harry pointed out that Narcissa Malfoy saved his life by outright lying to Voldemort in front of his Death Eaters. He also told them about Draco's shout in the Room of Hidden Things, which earned them precious seconds to escape Crabbe and Goyle's attack.  
  
Facing the strong support of two of the Light's icons for the Malfoys, the Wizengamot was forced to declare them free. From that day forward, Harry and Hermione observed a relentlessly polite Draco. They started to accept, even enjoy the Slytherin's company and his somewhat tempered acerbic wit. Unfortunately Ron could not bury the hatchet and remained as contrary as ever, quite a different position from Harry's wisdom and depth of maturity.

\--

  
  
Hermione was forcibly yanked from her reverie by Draco's cheerful voice. "What are you doing here, Hermione?"  
  
She turned to the Slytherin and narrowed her eyes. "Why are you so cheerful, Malfoy?" She noticed he had an open book in front of him. "What are you reading?"  
  
Hermione skilfully grabbed Draco's book and read the title. _'Magical Inheritance by Abo Gado.'_ Her eyes twinkled as she continued excitedly, "Hey, Magical Inheritance! Does this mean you are a Veela? Do you have to have a mate or you will die? Is it Harry?"  
  
Draco blushed and then chuckled, trying to deal with an excitable Granger. "You're wrong. Not all blond people are Veelas or Scandinavia would be a giant love nest." He narrowed his eyes in thought. "On second thought, maybe they are Veelas!"  
  
Grabbing back his book, he opened it and pointed at the yellowed pages. "This book is about Magical Inheritance, but refers to that of large _estates._ " Draco patted the book whilst he looked sharply at the Gryffindor girl. "You see, centuries ago the Tudor and Stuart monarchs used Parliament to issue Bills of Attainder and grab hold of noble estates, which they would later use as they saw fit. Kind of like the Ministry of Magic today."  
  
Hermione huffed. "The Ministry does things for the good of the people!"  
  
Draco rolled his eyes. "Have it your way. As I was saying, many purebloods cast complex spells on their estates, binding them exclusively to their blood heirs. That way, if someone unlawfully seized their assets, they would be magically put under Gringotts management to avoid the usurpers."  
  
Hermione grabbed her quill and started taking notes, as was her wont. She looked at the blond. "Did it work?"  
  
"The kings got the message and left us alone. Those spells are still active though, the estate always goes to the next in blood. There can be no obstructions. That is why some Wizarding families do not dare disinherit their own heirs; if they did, the money would evade their grasp and end up in Gringotts."  
  
Hermione gently put the quill on the parchment. She frowned, recalling the story of Sirius Black.  
  
Meanwhile Draco went on, "Those spells were the only thing that kept the Ministry from confiscating our estate. If we'd been declared guilty and sent to Azkaban, they would have had the right of seizure. Because we were declared free, the spells protected our ancestral wealth."  
  
She pointed out the obvious flaw in his story. "But Sirius Black left the Black fortune to Harry. How could he have done that with this magical inheritance thing?"  
  
Draco turned to watch Hermione carefully, sporting a smirk. "The Blacks were not among the families that enacted those spells; they were far too independent and eccentric to do that. They preferred to dwell in absolute splendour according to their motto, _'Toujours pur.'_ "  
  
Hermione recalled the time she'd spent in Grimmauld Place. She mumbled, "Seeing that blasted thing they proudly called their family tapestry, I'm convinced some of them were crazy. To whimsically disinherit family members is stupid. A man was disowned for lending money to one of the several Blacks whose names were blackened on the tapestry. I wouldn't take that thing, even if Kreacher chased me and beat me with a serrated broomstick."  
  
She noticed a curious parchment among Draco's documents, about 14 by 17 inches. She made to grab it but Draco was faster than her; he kept it at arm's length.  
  
She pouted and waved her hand at the parchment. "What is that?"  
  
"Can you keep a secret, Granger?"  
  
She snorted. "Of course!"  
  
Draco drawled, "When father and mother were at Hogwarts, they were very good in some subjects. Mother liked Charms and Father excelled in Arithmancy. In her First Year, Flitwick gave Mom an assignment and she asked the help of the Head Boy, Lucius Malfoy."  
  
He touched the yellowed parchment with pride. "The assignment having been finished, they continued on a quest of their own choosing. They came upon the idea of a drawing depicting where everybody was at Hogwarts."  
  
Hermione gasped whilst Draco continued. "When Father graduated, Mother carried on the task. During her last year at Hogwarts, she was joined in that quest by the redoubtable Severus Snape, my godfather-to-be. Unfortunately, in June 1975 they didn't notice a small rodent, a traitorous rat, spying on their meetings. Wormtail later relished boasting to Father how he blabbed everything his friends discussed about their project to the young Marauders."  
  
He put the parchment on the table and shrugged. "Unfortunately Remus Lupin was better at Charms than Narcissa, and they were able to finish their Marauder's Map before ours."  
  
She frowned. "How do you know about the Map?"  
  
Draco smirked whilst he took a sheaf of parchments from his bag. "Life under Voldemort was boring, Hermione. Wormtail liked to talk about his former friends and their exploits; to me it seemed as if he was in awe of them. Wonder why he betrayed them if he thought so."  
  
Hermione glared at the table. "Because he was a slimy traitor, that's why!"  
  
Draco picked a parchment and started writing on it. "At any rate, Severus graduated and left Hogwarts. Years later, when he returned to teach here, he developed a special potion that allowed the completion of their task."  
  
Draco picked up his Map, caressing it as he presented it to her. "Hermione, here is the _Schlangenkarte._ "  
  
She lifted an eyebrow. "The Serpent's Map?" Hermione grabbed hold of an edge of the parchment and nothing happened. She peppered the blond with questions. "Why does it have a German name? How does it work?"  
  
Draco answered with a shrug. "By the time he finished it, Severus was on a German kick. He learnt it in order to study ancient medieval manuscripts of the Holy Roman Empire. I guess they concerned alchemical methods like magical distillation and the basics of transmutation, the same texts which Nicholas Flamel perused in Aachen in 1541."  
  
Hermione pouted. "You haven't told me why it doesn't work."  
  
"I assure you that it does not work on the basis of something as plebeian as a silly sentence serving as password. It only functions when touched by the hand of a Malfoy, Black or Snape."  
  
Saying that, Draco held the parchment in his hands. Hermione was astounded to note how the Serpent's Map became active. It didn't show a complete Hogwarts representation like the Marauder's Map. Instead she could only see the Library, the corridors in the North and West side, and some adjoining classrooms.  
  
She remembered one time her father was talking to the architect in charge of building their swimming pool; she had watched his architectural drawings. The Slytherin's Map looked just like that.  
  
Hermione noticed with amusement that the picture in the Map changed position according to how Draco moved his index finger. It acted like a pointing device. She was of a mind to tell Draco that his finger was a mouse, but she knew he would be baffled and then enraged, better to bide her time.  
  
The Map showed the same level of detail as the other one with some notable exceptions. She studied the circle denoting Susan Bones and saw a small icon depicting a seemingly hallucinating badger; under it were her name and the initials HB. Likewise, Terry was represented by an image denoting a dyspeptic eagle and MB. She frowned angrily when she noted that her own icon was a psychotic lion which had the initials MB, Malfoy was shown with a drawing of a smirking snake and the letters PB.  
  
She asked irately, "What's with all the initials, Malfoy?"  
  
Draco put the Map down, brushing his fingers over the smooth surface. "You have to understand the time when they made the Map and who did it. They believed completely in Riddle's ideals, which had been circulating in Hogwarts for years. So they decided the Map would show who was Pureblood, Half-blood or Muggleborn."  
  
"That's outrageous!" Hermione stared angrily at the piece of parchment.  
  
The blond nodded sagely. "It was a waste of time to design the Map so. The thing could show much more useful information. If only I could direct or program it as they did!"  
  
She mumbled low under her breath, "Stupid pureblood prejudices!"  
  
Draco looked down at the floor. "Unfortunately, I once believed the same thing. Until I was brutally shown how stupid they were when… "He trailed off as a shudder passed through his body. Finally he continued the story. "I witnessed Voldemort killing people notwithstanding their heritage. Living under the shadow of death, I made a vow with myself, that I would be free. If not doing what I wanted, at least free from their imposed prejudices."  
  
The blond sighed wistfully, putting the Map back on his bag. "But enough of my maudlin thoughts. I should've had the Map for the entirety of my school career, but my esteemed godfather decided it would be better if I got it later. As if I would have abused the privilege!"  
  
Hermione quickly hid behind a book as she rolled her eyes, imagining the mischief Draco undoubtedly would have caused if he'd had the use of the Map earlier. She imagined Harry would've been attacked by Slytherins, making his leisure way to the kitchen in Third Year. She pictured the Trio suffering heinous curses as retaliation for the attack on Draco at the end of Fifth Year. It would have been difficult for them. Thank Merlin Snape proved wise!  
  
As Draco continued ranting about Snape's unfairness, Hermione couldn't help but observe how sad he looked, how he hunched his shoulders when he spoke of Severus. Clearly the Potions Master was sorely missed by his godson.  
  
Seeking to distract him, Hermione asked, "When did you get the Map, then?"  
  
Draco visibly brightened as he answered, "Last year; it was clear from Severus' demeanour when he gave it to me that he hoped I'd use it to escape the Carrows' iron grip."  
  
His lips curved upward in a smirk. "I believe I used it wisely. You can ask Ginny if you want."  
  
She brushed aside a curl, frowning. "Ginny, what does she have to do with it?"  
  
Draco stared at her earnestly, pointing down to his bag. "I used the Map to spy on the Carrows. They detested Ginny for being a Weasley and Longbottom for defying them so. When I surmised that Amycus or Alecto were on the way to torture them, sometimes I'd manage to interrupt their sessions with important messages I made up."  
  
She shuddered, imagining Hogwarts under the heinous rule of the crazed Death Eaters. "Did it work?"  
  
Draco shrugged, twirling his quill between his fingers. "Couldn't use that tactic always, but it was enough to deflect a little the insane Carrows."  
  
After he took out the parchment from his bag, touching it as if it would connect him with his godfather, Draco stared at the windows of the Library with a faraway look in his eyes. "In the Map, I witnessed the confrontation between Severus and the Heads of Houses when they cornered him and forced him to jump out the window. It was the last time I ever saw Severus, as I noticed his name flicker and vanish on the Map he created, flying away from Hogwarts. Leaving the school for the last time."

\--

  
  
They were interrupted by the arrival of Harry, Ron and Ginny. Hermione noticed that Draco unobtrusively put the Map beneath all his other parchments.  
  
Ron sat at the other end of the Library. He appeared to be studying intently a book he'd taken from his school bag. He didn't look as thin as he had when they came back from the horcrux hunt. He had filled up; undoubtedly due to the gargantuan meals Mrs. Weasley had been cooking lately, trying to deflect her sadness due to Fred's loss.  
  
Ron still had black rings under his eyes, a sign that he slept poorly. He had thrown himself into school work to deal with the loss of Fred. He tried to preserve some sense of continuity, and of course one way to do that was his enmity with Malfoy.  
  
On the second day of classes, Ron taunted Draco and intimated that his mother was a shared commodity amongst the Death Eaters. Then he punched Draco, expecting he would walk away scot-free like the time he hit Draco during the Final Battle. Instead he faced a very irate Slytherin and Ron came away with a broken nose.  
  
After staying in the Infirmary, having been thoroughly chastised by an irate Madame Pomfrey, the two returning students were led to the Headmistress's office. Ron expected McGonagall would be lenient towards him. After all, he was a hero of the Light. The Head of Slytherin, Slughorn, would defend Malfoy weakly. They all knew Slughorn secretly favoured Gryffindor.  
  
Ron faced instead a stern McGonagall and a woman she introduced as Liz Lehmke. The Headmistress said she was Hogwarts' _Ombudswoman_ whilst she glared ferociously at Draco.  
  
Ron remembered his father and Percy talking about some abstruse condition the Slytherins had requested in order to return to Hogwarts. As if the slimy snakes had the right to do so!  
  
Percy had calmed his incensed father, explaining that the Slytherins felt McGonagall would be too partial towards Gryffindor. After all, she had thrown them in the Dungeons during the Battle. Matters of punishment at Hogwarts should be reviewed by an _Ombudsman_ appointed by the Ministry who would have the final say. Otherwise the Slytherins threatened to withdraw themselves from Hogwarts. The school would undoubtedly suffer from this drain of resources, added to the costs of war reparations.  
  
When the Headmistress punished Slytherin for the fight with the loss of 100 points due to Malfoy's outburst, Lehmke quickly took 200 points from Gryffindor, explaining that Ron provoked and started the fight.  
  
After losing his house so many points, Ron tended to avoid Malfoy as much as possible, keeping his distance from him, even in the Library.  
  
Ginny went to their table. Brushing her fiery red hair aside, she said mockingly, "Oi, ferret!"  
  
Draco answered with a mock bow. "What's up, fair Weaselette?"  
  
Ginny' defiant stance made her look like a Scandinavian maid of yore. The kind of girl who would promptly join her man as he sailed to the end of the world, the woman who would prove adept in caring for their offspring. The willowy redhead had strong, intelligent features. She liked to banter with Draco.  
  
The two had shared a very rough year in Hogwarts, the scant time when Draco was around. Ginny felt he always seemed to appear at the most unexpected moments, when she was about to be tortured. It was unsettling for the redhead, but it made her reappraise the pale boy and realize that he had changed.  
  
Ginny looked around, scowling. "Where's Finch-Fletchley? I need to discuss with him our plans for Hogsmeade."  
  
Harry sat down next to Ginny, pointing to the back of the room. "Saw him five minutes ago talking to Susan." He shrugged, lifting his glasses with his index finger. "Must be Head business."  
  
Ginny growled. "They are up to something!"  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Come on! They are good Heads."  
  
The redhead narrowed her eyes and answered rebelliously, "Harry should have been the Head Boy, or at least Ron. I don't see why they had to go and choose Justin. The world's crazy, I tell you."  
  
Apparently Ginny did not respect the curly-haired Hufflepuff at all.  
  
Harry replied softly, "They were the best choice, representing the best setting which combined the Muggle and the magical world. They are what remain of our innocence. Remember that they fought for the right side. I reckon it's time they enjoy the fruits of their labour. To me, they are the side of Hogwarts that works quietly in the shadows. Like the roots of a tree you know, providing support and succour."  
  
Harry looked like a prince among men. Like Ron, he benefited from Mrs. Weasley's culinary skills. He wore the customary school uniform, his frame having filled at last. His unruly hair as wild as ever, he'd nearly been convinced by Ginny to get contacts but decided to keep his glasses. Harry had a healthy tan because of the hours he'd spent in the sun helping the Weasleys to degnome the garden.  
  
When the excitement of the victory over Voldemort's forces died down, Harry asked Ginny if she'd go out with him again. To his surprise, Ginny declined the chance. Ginny made the telling point that she had been really devastated because he broke up with her and left for his hunt without inviting her along. Surely she was on Voldemort's death list already for being one of his friends and a Weasley; so his reasons for breaking up with her seemed facile to Ginny.  
  
Ginny wasn't sure she should acquiesce to his wishes this time, only to be brutally yanked from her dreams when his insecurity reared its ugly head again.  
  
So Harry and Ginny were just friends. There was a subtle tension between them but Ginny was comforted by the fact that Harry behaved like a perfect gentleman, as was his wont.  
  
She had confided her troubled feelings to her friend Hermione. The brunette offered encouragement and in turn talked about her own ambivalent feelings towards Ron. She liked him a lot but she felt there were quite a number of barriers to overcome before they would be ready to marry. Their constant fights were distracting at best and depressing at worst.

\--

  
  
On Friday, they had pineapple jam, Harry's beloved flavour. He was enjoying it when the owls bearing messages swooped into the Great Hall. He squinted up at the beautiful birds. Hermione, Ginny and Ron had urged him to get another owl but Harry couldn't bear to replace Hedwig.  
  
Draco was eating breakfast at the Hufflepuff table. Surprisingly enough, he was friends with Justin, Hannah Abbot, Susan Bones and Terry Boot. Draco's main bone of contention had been with the Gryffindors, so it was easy for the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws to accept him. One of the aftermaths of the war was that most people were tired of fighting. They adopted the motto 'live and let live.'  
  
Gregory Goyle, Pansy Parkinson and several other Slytherins had transferred abroad. Draco occasionally regaled his new friends with stories of their adventures in Durmstrang, like the time Goyle took the wrong boat at the Lake and ended up in Yokohama instead of Gdansk, or Pansy's trouble in following the inane tales of History of Magic. It would seem that class was fated to be boring even when living persons imparted it.  
  
Blaise Zabini was studying his final year in Beauxbatons. He wrote lyrical letters to Draco about life in beautiful Languedoc.  
  
The blond still bristled easily. He remained a caustic observer, much more sure of himself lately and able to tolerate differences of opinion with other people that would have enraged him before.  
  
Of course there were many students disgruntled with Malfoy and his role in the war. Draco didn't react as strongly as before to their taunts, though.  
  
One morning Zacharias Smith had started taunting Draco on the corridor in front of the Potions classroom, wondering aloud how they permitted cowardly Death Eaters to study at Hogwarts. Ginny jumped to Draco's defence, something which surprised Smith. She pointed out that the Malfoys had saved Harry's life at least three times and as for the cowardly tag, Draco had been in the Final Battle whilst Smith turned tail and ran.  
  
Several students snickered and laughed when they heard that. Smith snorted and countered that he very much doubted that information. Ron said forcefully, "It's true that Malfoy was there. I know because I punched him right after a Death Eater attacked him!"  
  
When they fought with Draco, he replied in kind. If they ever hexed him, his response was brutal. After all, he had been living with Death Eaters for quite a while and knew many painful, legal spells.  
  
More than once he was saved from McGonagall's draconic punishments by the unflappable Liz Lehmke. Seeing that the Headmistress had the knack of letting the other parties walk away free and concentrate her ire on Draco, the _Ombudswoman_ warned her that if bigotry got the better of her, Lehmke would report to the Ministry and McGonagall would be dismissed as Headmistress.

\--

  
  
Hermione took the newspaper offered by the owl and put the coins in its pouch. She opened the page and began to read, her eyes widening. The constant whispering and murmuring in the Great Hall ceased completely and a deathly quiet descended upon the Great Hall.  
  
Hermione read:  
  
 ** _Marriage Law approved by the Wizengamot_**  
  
 _The Government, worried about the decline in population due to the past wars, have taken measures to counteract this. The Wizengamot proposed a measure which Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt enthusiastically signed into law. This will ensure the survival of the Wizarding World._  
  
 _Taking into account the constant and debilitating resentment caused by blood issues, it has been decided that all Wizarding subjects currently unmarried, aged 18 to 40, will be duly wed and should be expecting a child within one year of their marriage. The unions will take place in such a form that a Pureblood will marry a Muggleborn, a Muggleborn a Pureblood or Half-blood, and a Half-blood either one of the others._  
  
 _In the next days, the happy couples should receive notifications regarding their future spouses. The couplings were done using the Goblet of Truth, a foolproof magical device._  
  
 _Failure to comply with the provisions of this law will result in loss of magic and complete obliviation of Wizard memories._  
  
 _These harsh actions are taken to ensure the renewed growth of our decimated society. When asked to comment, Minister Shacklebolt replied succinctly, "It's for the common good."_  
  
 _Reporter_  
 _Rita Skeeter_  
  
Draco noticed the sudden silence and turned to look at Susan. She and Justin appeared to be absorbed in reading the Daily Prophet. Draco turned to his other side, stole the paper from Terry and proceeded to read the article, after Terry extracted a promise from him regarding the Arithmancy homework. Who would have guessed that Ravenclaws could be so devious?  
  
The blond paled as he read the dreadful news. He discreetly looked around and noticed that many of his classmates were slack-jawed. Hermione and Ginny were pale and seemed about to faint. In contrast, Weasley fleetingly smirked. After reading the distressing news, Harry nodded benevolently to Neville Longbottom.

 

__

 

_**Windbound** \- A condition wherein the ship is detained in one particular station by contrary winds._


	2. Chapter two

 

The owls started arriving over the weekend, bearing the names of the person they had to marry.

Justin's blissful expression told Draco the Hufflepuff's fiancée was agreeable to him. It turned out to be Daphne Greengrass. Luckily for them, they liked the choices they were presented with.

 Justin had even asked Draco for advice about wooing Daphne, whilst Draco's housemate appeared entranced by the curly-haired Hufflepuff.

Draco shook his head, remembering his brief conversation with his friend the other day.

"I'm afraid for Astoria." Daphne cocked her head at the Daily Prophet on the couch of the Slytherin Common Room. "Mother has protected her too much. The silly Marriage Law states the minimum age for those eligible…."

"You mean, forced," mumbled Draco.

"Whatever. The person has to be 18 years old, so Astoria still has some time." She grabbed the newspaper and smoothed the pages, deciding to write Astoria about the news; her kid sister was immersed in her home-schooling in their Manor in the West Midlands and was thus disconnected from the Hogwarts rumour mill.

"Yes, Astoria won't be forced into this unwilling yoke for a while," said Draco through clenched teeth, remembering Susan Bones.

Draco had a soft spot for Susan, who had been selected for Etienne Zabini, a cousin of Blaise's. Unfortunately the blond was well acquainted with the fact that Etienne was a cheating bastard, and Draco despaired of gentle Susan tying the knot with that unsavoury character.

Draco glared at his breakfast. The Ministry would force sweet Hannah Abbott, the brunette Hufflepuff, to marry Zacharias Smith.

Ginny had jokingly compared Smith and Draco, saying they were both blonds and gits. But Draco had changed and was not a complete bastard to those he cared about, while Smith kept antagonising the students, including those from his own house.

Many couples had been notified on Saturday. They were told they had until January 12th to comply with the Marriage Law or else.

Draco stabbed listlessly his sausage, waiting for the menacing owls to appear. The Malfoy contacts at the Ministry owled Draco with hints that the second wave of notifications would arrive on Sunday. This lot would have to marry before January 20th.

As if answering his mental summons, several barn owls swooped down over the tables, their wings flapping steadfastly as they headed towards the recipients of the news. Draco noticed Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Harry and Terry got owls.

A particularly stubborn-looking owl landed in front of him and startled the Slytherin. Draco disdainfully untied the parchment and grabbed a piece of the forgotten sausage which he offered to the bird. The tiny owl tilted down her neck and daintily pecked at the treat, staring at Draco with seemingly commiserating eyes before dashing off towards the windows in a flurry of brown feathers.

Draco opened the parchment and read:

_Dear Mr. Draco Malfoy:_

_On behalf of the Department of Magical Nuptials and the Ministry of Magic, it is my pleasure to inform you that Miss Lavender Brown is your future wife. You are expected to marry her before January 20th 1999 and produce at least one baby out of this union by January 20th, 2000._

_We remain courteously at your service,_

_Sincerely_

_Ernest M. Bradsee_   
_Head of DMN (Department of Magical Nuptials)_

_cc. Mr. Kingsley Shacklebolt_   
_Minister of Magic_

_cc. Woodgrinder_   
_General Manager of Gringotts_

Draco crumpled the parchment with a furious, economical movement of his long, pale fingers. How did they dare pair him with the ditzy Gryffindor? How in Merlin's name could Lavender become Mrs Malfoy? What were they thinking?

He was intrigued at the words on the bottom of the parchment. Why did they send copies to Shacklebolt and Gringotts? They shouldn't be interested at all. He needed a little help.

Draco bent down and rummaged inside his school bag until he fished out a parchment and his last quill. With furrowed brows, he wrote a letter.

_Father,_

_I'm sure you know by now about this farce of a Marriage Law, and who is supposed to become your daughter-in-law. I urgently need your advice because the well-being of the family is at stake. We endured so much to keep it alive during the War. I know how strongly you feel about this issue; I remember what you said it meant to be a Malfoy and care about the family beyond life itself._

_I'm sure you have contacts at the Ministry and elsewhere. It surprised me that the fools sent a copy of the message to Gringotts. I can only surmise why they did that. We need to meet at the Hog's Head the Saturday I visit Hogsmeade._

_Your loving son,_   
_Draco_

He took out his Hawthorne wand, smiling at the memory of Harry returning it. Draco swished his wand energetically over the parchment, casting the Malfoy spell which would substitute each word for its equivalent numerical value, following Arithmancy rules. The spell scrambled the numbers like a cryptographic device to ensure that the message would become clear only after the counterspell of a family member.

Draco left the Great Hall in a hurry. He had to go to the Owlery and send the letter with Osiris, his new owl.

\--

Ginny received her parchment from a small bird.  The owl was bigger than Pigwidgeon and less exuberant. She blanched when she read the missive, though.

Hermione turned to look at her, brimming with emotion at the news of her partner but she frowned at Ginny's woebegone expression. "What's wrong?"

"You won't believe who they chose for me!"

"Malfoy?"

"No, that would have been better," muttered Ginny. "My future husband is the one and only Boy Who Lived, Vanquisher of Voldemort!"

"Aren't you happy, Ginny? I thought this was exactly what you wanted."

"If you had asked me a year and a half ago, I would have answered with a simple yes. Things change, though; at that time Harry hadn't left me to go on this quest of his."

"The hunt for the horcruxes was necessary," said Hermione, loyally defending her best friend.

"He had yet to break up with me for 'my own protection.'" Ginny tossed her head, not really hearing Hermione. "Tell me, am I supposed to dutifully follow Harry's whims? He disregards me and then one day, out of the blue, he sees fit to pick me out of the goodness of his heart."

"Harry has his reasons," said Hermione doggedly.

"He may have, but now I am to become Mrs Potter because of the frigging Law, not because he chose me." Ginny glanced at her friend. "What about you, Hermione? Who will you marry?"

Hermione blushed and cocked her head at the other side of the table. "Ron."

"Reckon you're happy; after all, you're marrying the love of your life," said Ginny, her voice tinged with bitterness. "Why aren't you prancing around like Lavender?"

She pointed at Lavender, who was pumping up her arms.

"I am happy, Ginny." Hermione sighed, looking down at the yellowed parchment laid neatly in front of her books. "It is just that I don't want to marry straight out of school. I want to attend University and travel for a while before settling down and marrying. Much as I love your mother, I don't want to be exactly like her."

Hermione smiled at Ron guffawing loudly, the sound merging with Harry's sniggering.

"What's so funny, Ron?" Ginny fixed her brother with a steely glance.

"Lavender!" said Ron shortly. "Lav-Lav is going to marry the ferret! Isn't it wonderful? They will have little blond, ferrety gits!"

Ginny stood and walked away, snorting at her brother. If only Ron would grow up a bit,   he'd be perfect for Hermione.

\--

**September 19th, 1998**   
**The Hog's Head, Hogsmeade**

Draco made his way to Hogsmeade after breakfast. He had planned a rendezvous with Lucius in the Hog's Head. He proposed this place to his father knowing that his new friends loved the Three Broomsticks, so they weren't liable to witness his encounter with Lucius.  

His hands stuck in the pockets of his robes, Draco glanced at the windows of the shops. He nodded to himself when he passed Scrivenshaft's, where he bought quills and parchment.

Draco had a pounding headache because he had spent most of the night listening to the woes of Susan, Hannah, and Terry. Boot lamented the fact that he had to marry Anastasia Warbeck, a niece of the Weird Sisters singer, who was 39 years old. Fortunately, Draco had time to grab an Anti-headache potion from the Infirmary which was the last batch Severus ever brewed.

On entering the Hog's Head, Draco instantly noticed Lucius' leonine mane. Malfoy was seated at a booth in the back of the establishment. Draco made his way there whilst shaking his head at the ominous tusks of the hog's head which adorned the wall. He took his wand to cast a privacy charm around the table.  

Draco nodded and smirked at his father, whose lips twitched in a faint sneer. He sat in front of Lucius as Aberforth Dumbledore approached their table, nodding imperceptibly. Aberforth's icy blue eyes were fixed on the Malfoys as he took their order. Dumbledore did not have his brother's complete faith in the goodness of the Universe. On the other hand, he was less manipulative, and therefore had managed to strike a friendly acquaintanceship with the elder Malfoy.

Lucius raised an eyebrow imperiously and ordered  firewhiskey while Draco wanted to taste elf brandy from fabled Alfheim. Aberforth got them their drinks with a lazy motion of his wand.

Sipping their drinks, father and son got down to business and started comparing notes on the infamous Marriage Law.

"My Muggle contacts tell me about a strange law that is going to be introduced to the House of Commons," said Lucius, cupping his hands around the goblet. "I've made sure that you will receive one copy today, as well as the document presented to the consideration of the Wizengamot."

"Appreciate that, Father." Draco squinted at Lucius over his silver goblet.

"My former associates tell me the Marriage Law will also apply to young people who do not reside currently in Britain," Lucius said briskly. "Pansy Parkinson will marry Seamus Finnigan, and poor Gregory Goyle should wed Marietta Edgecombe. Blaise Zabini will have to marry Padma Patil."

Father and son exchanged a worried look at that. Draco coughed and downed his drink. "I reckon no one is safe, Father; these are sorry tidings indeed." To counteract the sombre mood, Draco raised his eyebrows at his father. "How is Mother faring?"

Lucius smirked and took a sip from his firewhisky. "As good as can be, Draco. Your mother is quite mad about this outrage, of course." He tapped Draco's shoe with his cane. "I considered bringing her here but I knew that if she met someone like Aberforth, she might make a scene. You know Narcissa's temper as well as I do."

Draco nodded pensively. "Why would they come up with that awful excuse for legislation just now?"

"To answer your question, it has also come to my attention that Gringotts seems to be preparing for an expansion," Lucius drawled, "even if the current economic climate does not appear to warrant such a venture. Draco, you'll do what you have to do to ensure that our family endures."

Draco and his father exchanged a worried glance.  For many months they lived on the razor's edge where a reckless gesture would have meant their doom at the mad hands of Voldemort. They survived because they put family in first place.

\--

After a rather strained morning with Hermione and Ron, plus her _fiancé_ , Ginny called it quits and headed back to Hogwarts.

Walking past Zonko's, Ginny wiped a tear from her eye at the memory of her mischievous brother, the irrepressible Fred. Then she heard the popping sound of someone apparating and Ginny stopped at the sight of a bespectacled wizard strolling towards her. Ginny hugged Percy, who stiffly returned her greeting and nodded austerely.

The two chatted about the family and how their mother was faring.

"How is Ron doing?" Percy coughed delicately.

"Fine, just the usual tantrums," Ginny said casually. "And he's getting married to Hermione, of course."

"Of course," said Percy in a bored tone. "I'm going to marry Penny, you know."

"Oh, I see. You ought to tell Ron. He's with Hermione and Harry." Ginny motioned towards the Three Broomsticks, at the other end of High Street.

A bit later they said goodbye and Percy waved distractedly at Ginny, his red hair contrasting sharply with the dour façade of the Post Office.

Ginny returned to Hogwarts and arrived at Gryffindor Tower, stopping in front of the glaring Fat Lady.

"Oh dear, I was dozing so nicely!"

Ginny tilted her neck, staring at the stones of the floor whilst she muttered rebelliously the password, " _All your base are belong to us_." She was ready to hex whoever had come up with that inane saying.

Ginny trotted up the stairs as quietly as a ghost because she was used to the need to be silent, or else she had to suffer her stubborn brothers following her. Just as her fingers closed around the door handle, she heard a soft whisper coming from the other dorm which was Lavender, Parvati, and Hermione's room.

She opened her door and was about to enter when she heard someone say 'Draco.' Being a sister of the infamous Twins, Ginny usually carried around pranking stuff, so she fished out her Extendable Ears, and prepared to listen.

She could hear faintly the conversation between Lavender and Parvati.

"I'm sorry you'll have to marry that poor sod, Parvati. You could come and live with me in Malfoy Manor."

"Will your husband allow that?"

"It won't matter what Draco says. It'll all belong to me then. You could also live with Padma. Seamus, Padma, Retta and I – we are set up for life!"

Ginny was shocked and stumbled against the door on the other side of the corridor. She had time enough to bolt into her room and softly close the door, before Padma came out to find out what caused the noise.

Ginny spent the rest of the day pondering what she had heard. It made no sense whatsoever.

\--

During lunch the next day, Seamus Finnigan walked up to the Hufflepuff table. He sneered at Draco. "Oi, Malfoy. Tell me, is Pansy a virgin?"

"What in Merlin's name?" Draco glared heatedly but Seamus went on.

"How many blokes has she slept with? Do tell me what she likes in a man," Seamus said condescendingly, his face clearly expressing his confidence about his rights as a victorious member of the Light.

Draco wanted to yell at Finnigan and hex his snobby face; he lifted his wand but it was gripped by Harry, who had rapidly approached them when he saw trouble brewing.

"There is no need to be so smug, Seamus," Harry said calmly. "What Pansy has done is her business. Your business is to take care of her, not demean her. Your attitude does not become a member of the side who fought against Voldemort's injustice!"

Finnigan left with a sour mien. Meanwhile Draco had wrenched his arm from Harry, growling at him, "Why did you stop me, Potter? I wanted to hex that smart arse."

"Don't waste your time on him, Draco. He's always been a little dim-witted. He made my life difficult because _his mother_ thought I was a menace." Harry paused to massage his chin between his thumb and forefinger. "He's always had a fickle temperament. Reckon you should leave him alone and let fate decide."

"How philosophical, Potter!" drawled Draco.

"Whatever. I'm going to the Room of Requirement to practice." Harry glanced at the ceiling of the Great Hall which depicted a cloudy sky. "Care to go with me?"

Draco turned greedy eyes on Harry and nodded. "Sure, I'll go."

"Mind if I go with you?" said Susan Bones with studied nonchalance.

"Of course not, Susan." Harry shot her a boyish grin which made Draco shudder discreetly.

Susan nodded wearily as she walked up to the boys. She wanted to forget for a while her horrible need to marry Etienne. Draco's tales about the unbecoming conduct of Zabini concurred with the story told by Helena Anderton, a friend of hers who almost got her heart broken by the good-looking git. Sharing the Zabini family traits, Etienne was very handsome.

They approached the tapestry of the ballet-dancing trolls, and Harry paced back and forth, concentrating on what he wanted.

The door duly appeared and they walked inside. The Room was furnished with tatamis and a collection of impressive swords hung upon the stony walls.

Harry took out the Elder wand and swished it over his robes, temporarily transfiguring his uniform into loose and sturdy trousers and shirt.

Draco and Susan followed suit. Draco made his way to the wall to grab a sword but Harry shook his head. "I'd like to start with spells, Draco. Reckon you know different spells and curses which could be considered grey or Dark. I would like to defend myself against them."

"Yes, teach us that, Draco!" Susan said excitedly, and then she hunched her shoulders. "If Uncle Edgar or Aunt Amelia could have learned them in time to save themselves! I won't become another victim of dark wizards!" She shoved her plaited hair aside with an energetic motion of her pale hand, her piercing brown eyes staring at Draco.

The practice started and Harry had to admit that Draco was a good teacher. He would pronounce slowly the incantations, and show the required wand movements precisely. He answered their questions at length, explaining when the spell was discovered or its original Light intent before it was corrupted. 

Harry casually mentioned his use of unconventional Light spells and some Grey curses he was forced to learn during the weary time away from Hogwarts.

Defending against such magic took its toll, though, and they were forced to stop after one hour. Susan easily healed their bruises, being quite proficient in healing spells because she wanted to become a Healer. She was familiar with many spells that Madame Pomfrey used.

Susan left after healing the boys, mentioning she had to go to the Library to do the Herbology homework with Hannah and Terry.

Harry and Draco were thus left alone. Harry swished and flicked the Elder wand to _Accio_ butterbeer which the Room provided. He cocked his head at the shelf on the wall which held goblets. Draco duly got two and the two fell into and easy banter, talking about Grimmauld Place, which Draco remembered visiting as a child.

He gulped down the butterbeer and asked about Teddy's welfare. Unfortunately, all the letters that Narcissa had written as she tried to reconcile family differences with Andromeda Tonks were returned unopened. Harry waxed enthusiastic about little Teddy Lupin whilst Draco sighed. Then he took a sip of his butterbeer and looked at Draco with shining eyes. "Is your father an Animagus? If the Blacks have all these magic in their blood, maybe the Malfoys share that?"

Draco poured a second glass of butterbeer, staring sharply at the exuberant Gryffindor. "Father is indeed an Animagus; he becomes a Polar bear."

"Really?" said Harry with a tinge of doubt in his voice. "Why didn't he use that ability in the Department of Mysteries?"

"I reckon he was too worried with things and he forgot to transform. Even if he had done that, they would have captured him and his secret exposed."   

Harry leaned down to fish out a Chocolate frog from his school bag. He unwrapped it and easily caught the jumping chocolate with a fast sweeping motion of his hand. Munching the chocolate head contentedly, he looked at Draco. "Did Lucius tell you how to become an Animagus?"

"No, Harry. The thing with my father is that he gives you the least amount of information and expects you to connect the dots by yourself. Says it's good for your cunning."

"Reminds me of someone I used to know," Harry groaned, thinking about Dumbledore.

Draco wanted to tell Harry about his meeting with Lucius, but he imagined his reaction. Harry would react benevolently to the Marriage Law, just as he appeared to react good-naturedly to everything else since the Final Battle. Draco guessed that having won the War had awoken Harry's wisdom.

Living under the threat of Voldemort's mad and cruel antics could make anyone a little paranoid, though, so Draco decided to keep this news under wraps for the time being. Later he would discuss it at length with Harry, seeking his opinion about the repercussions of the Marriage Law. For now Draco would only trust his father and allies to share his innermost thoughts concerning the pesky intent to marry them off.

The boys left the Room of Requirement, but neither of them had any special Maps so they were unable to evade the rapidly approaching Gryffindor girl, until Draco felt soft hands caressing his neck and the faint smell of jasmine.

"Here you are, my Dragon!" Lavender smiled at Draco, who fought to hide his grimace. "I hope we can discuss the details of our wedding. I've already chosen Parvati as my maid of honour, of course, and Dean Thomas as your best man. We could have the wedding at my home or at Malfoy Manor."

"Brown, I'm utterly at a loss as to what to say." Draco shook his head wearily.

"The augurs agree with me that the best possible date is January 17th." Lavender smiled flirtatiously at Draco. "I will make a list of people to invite and…"

Draco looked beseechingly at Harry but the brunet sported his usual contemplative look which promised little aid.

The Slytherin directed his searching gaze to a point in the corridor beyond Lavender. "Peeves has a cauldron and is coming here! Better run!"

Lavender shot him a startled glance before hurrying to the left of the corridor, while the two boys dashed towards the other end.

After running several yards, Harry turned his head, only to discover there was no Peeves following them.

"Good way to get rid of that Gryffindor, right? Just blame Peeves." Draco shot him a sly smirk which made Harry shiver.

Nearly-Headless Nick heard Draco, though, and relayed the conversation to Peeves. The outraged Poltergeist spent the rest of the day composing a little ditty he intended to sing as he followed the traitorous students: _"Lav-Lav and Drakie, sitting on a tree and getting married!"_

\--

On their way down to the Great Hall, Harry and Draco met their Potions professor, Horace Slughorn. The portly Head of Slytherin engaged them in conversation and invited Harry to the reconstituted Slug Club.

Surprisingly, he also invited Draco. He declined politely the invitation, citing his heavy school work. Draco mentioned the Arithmancy and Potions homework he still had to do.

Slughorn disappeared down the corridor, shaking his head in disappointment whilst Harry glanced at Draco. "Why did you turn him down? Thought you'd like to go to the reunions. They are quite elitist, you know."

"Slughorn didn't care about me in Sixth year. Didn't ask me to join his Club because the Malfoy name had been dragged through the mud due to Father's imprisonment in Azkaban. But after the Wizengamot declared us free, he wants us to associate with him!"

\--

Hermione was in the Library all alone, finishing her Arithmancy homework when Ginny entered and sat next to her. The redhead cast notice-me-not charms and told her about the discussion she overheard between Lavender and Parvati.

"It was very weird, Hermione," Ginny said worriedly. "Lavender offered Parvati Malfoy Manor as her residence! She spoke as if she would get control over it. She also said the lot of them; Seamus, Padma and Marietta would be rich."

"It's easy to explain, Weaselette." Draco's voice startled the two girls, who hadn't heard him approaching. "Fancy meeting you here with Hermione. I think it is time we had a little talk."

"Good day to you, Ferret!" Ginny grinned maliciously.

Draco sat down on the chair next to Hermione, who wondered how Malfoy had overcome Ginny's notice-me-not charms; but then she saw that amongst the parchments Draco placed on the table there was one she knew well, the Serpent's Map.  

Hermione smiled wryly at that. His Map was the means Draco used to find them and overcome the charm, quite Slytherin of him.

Draco leaned his elbows on the table and looked at the two Gryffindors over his fringe. "It is high time Slytherin and Gryffindor joined forces."

 

 

 


	3. Chapter three

_**AN** :_ _"Later a geas took the aspect of a taboo or prohibition. A geas can also be compared to a curse or, paradoxically, a gift. If someone placed under a geas breaks it, the infractor will suffer dishonor and even death."_ From wikipedia

 

* * *

 

Draco sat down across from Hermione and Ginny; taking took out two stacks of papers from his bag, he placed them upon the table. Then he pushed them towards Hermione, cocking his head at the parchments to his right. "This is a copy of the entire Marriage Law, as presented and approved by the Wizengamot."

He pointed at the papers on the left. "You might find it profitable to read the initiative and compare it to this one. It's part of a new Bill to be introduced in the House of Commons. A verbatim copy of the Marriage Law, I'm afraid."

 Hermione just sat there, her heart wrenching at Ginny's pained gasp. Finally, she leaned her elbows on the table and frowned at Draco. "I don't believe you! How can they present a bill in the Commons about purebloods, half-bloods and muggleborns? Who would betray the Statute of Secrecy?"

"It is very easy, Hermione," Draco said calmly. "Cunning is not restricted to Slytherins, you see. The wording of the Law was ingeniously wrought so that to the uninitiated, it deals with the breeding of pureblood horses, prized studs and mares, in order to keep them in stock. The Government apparently believe that the survival of the species is all marriage entails."

Ginny growled whilst Draco plodded on, his voice lowering in rage. "They deny us freedom and treat us like animals to be husbanded and bred as they see fit!"

He stabbed his hand inside his school bag and took out a yellowed parchment which sported a P with curlicues; the bright scarlet colour immediately caught Hermione's eye. Draco pushed the parchment towards her. "Study this carefully. I trust your keen eye for detail will let you see what it implies."  

Hermione glared at the page. "It is in Latin, obviously. Probably deals with oaths of fealty, though the letter P with its curious arrow pointing upward intrigues me."

She bit her bottom lip and glanced at the books around them. "Wait a second!"

Hermione stood up and made her way towards the aisle in the middle of the Library. After rummaging around her beloved books for a while, she came back cradling a heavy tome.

Draco squinted at the title, ' _Runes: The Elder Futhark by Herum Treiber.'_ He glanced up at Hermione, who was studying the table of contents until she huffed, opening the book.

Draco sighed, his fingers brushing the cover of the Muggle law book Lucius had sent him; he tapped his fingers against his wand and frowned at Hermione until Ginny slapped his arm. Then he glared half-heartedly at Ginny whilst they both waited for the brunette to make her point.

Hermione looked up from the book, motioning towards the parchment with the strange P. "It's the rune Tiwaz; it stands for justice, leadership, and authority. The book says it is used to magically seal a bond between a vassal and his liege lord." She brushed the yellowed page, her eyebrows scrunching up in thought. "Where did you find this?"

"According to Father's covering letter, this is a facsimile of Magna Carta after the Barons signed it in the meadow at Runnymede, on June 19th 1215."

Ginny mumbled, "Show off!"

Draco rolled his eyes and went on. "This agrees with Malfoy oral tradition which holds that, amongst the rebellious Barons, there were many wizards. When King John agreed to sign, they decided to add their little twist." His pale fingers brushed against the parchment as he said slowly, "Seems they inserted the runes into the documents they signed, weaving their magic in the oaths they swore. Their intent, of course, was to force the other Barons and the King into submission."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Draco, mumbling low under her breath, "They might've been Slytherins, then."

Draco shrugged nonchalantly. "At any rate, they intended to cast a _geas_ , a huge Obedience Vow which involved the whole of England."

Hermione tapped her fingers against the soft vellum. "It couldn't have worked. It doesn't have the other protection runes they should've employed."

"Exactly. Fortunately they were not all that adroit," said Draco. "Rather behaved like ancestors of Crabbe and Goyle, so the geas they wrought had unexpected side effects."

"And they were?" Hermione prodded him.  

"The changes created by the magical Barons decided how the Wizarding World would cleave to the Muggles." Draco's voice was tinged with awe as he glanced at the magical books Hermione was reading and then to his Muggle law tome. "There's a balance of power amongst wizards and muggles due to that interference so long ago."

"I can see the implications of what you mention," said Hermione, her voice trembling slightly. "If the same law is approved by the Wizengamot and the Commons, it is a Metamagical Law, binding both Muggles and wizards."

Ginny glanced at her friend.  "What do you mean, exactly?"

"Let's say that I wanted to disobey this Law." Draco brushed his lapels fastidiously. "I withdraw money from Gringotts and flee to the Continent. You might think that, as long as I don't use magic that can be traced and I keep away from wizards, I should be fine."

Ginny bit her bottom lip, her gaze far away as she finished Draco's train of thought.  "If what you two have said is right, though, when Muggles approve the law it is binding everywhere. There's no place you can escape without being wanted by the authorities, and ending up imprisoned, magically bound and obliviated."

Draco tilted down his chin and looked at the books, lowering his voice until he ended in a whisper. "It is worse, Ginny. The law having been approved in both realms, the _geas_ would force me to comply or suffer a grievous fate that leads to my death. The forces we face are relentless."  

Hermione nervously wrung her hands. "Can't you tell them that you're gay? They won't force you to marry Lavender then."

Draco didn't say anything. Instead he stood up with a grimace and started pacing to and fro; moving his hands wildly, he laughed bitterly. "You've lived here for years and still you don't get it, do you? You don't understand the depths of hypocrisy of the Wizarding World."

"Explain it to me, then," Hermione said gently, trying to calm the obviously overwrought Slytherin.

"Homosexuality is casually accepted, but not condoned – just like inter-species breeding is allowed but the people born from those unions are deemed inferior." Draco snorted in derision. "I held the same stupid views until life cured me of the silly notions."  

"I'm familiar with their hypocrisy." Ginny's fingers twitched as she thought about Harry. "The Wizarding World slavishly follows Harry as their Saviour until someone publishes a false tale and the tide turns; the gits then believe that Harry is insane or evil, or whatever strikes their bloody fancy!"

Draco paused near Ginny and bent down until his fingers grazed the chair. "This is the world which disdains students that are Slytherin. They don't care that they are only eleven years old.  Whatever the other houses do to us is allowed because we are Slytherins, and therefore deserve to suffer."

"In the Wizarding World, you are guilty until you escape and prove your innocence, or die trying," Ginny said through gritted teeth, remembering Harry's despair at losing his godfather. "The Wizengamot sentenced Sirius to Azkaban without a proper trial, based on flimsy evidence."

"You do have a point," Hermione piped up, her brows furrowing in anger when she recalled Fudge's campaign against Harry.  "The Minister can easily order someone to be Kissed and no one raises an eyebrow, like Fudge did with Barty Crouch Jr. We'd have a much better chance in the Muggle world. Sure, there are many countries which do not allow same-sex unions, but also more liberal lands."

Draco nervously grabbed parchments at random, causally glancing at them while he said, "Voldemort was daunting, an evil madman. But during the time he made his headquarters at our house, I had a unique advantage. I know the Manor inside and out, every secret room. I entered his quarters and found his books about wizard and Muggle history."

"What did you find out?" breathed Hermione, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Did you know that the Ministry of Magic was established just after the office of the Muggle Prime Minister came to be?"

Hermione shook her head, taken aback.

Draco brushed his fringe from his forehead before continuing. "The first attempts at granting freedom to centaurs and giants came after the Muggle Enlightenment; the new philosophy that invoked the voice of reason infected a bit the dim-witted wizards in power."

Hermione lowered her head. "I read about that. How I wish that Binns would have spoken of it in his boring classes!"

Draco bowed to the brunette. "I was sure you knew about it. Voldemort attacked Muggleborns and Muggles so intensely because he feared they would pollute our culture. He was also afraid of connotations that spoke about power and how to wield it."

"The madman was evil," Ginny said distractedly, trying to forget the remembrance of her time under Voldemort's magic in her first year at Hogwarts.

"The Dark Lord knew that he could never eradicate the billions of Muggles with our scant population," Draco said. "His intent was to create a breach between the Wizarding and Muggle worlds, so deep and full of hurt that it would be impossible to cross."

Hermione glanced at Draco's law book, which she had read during summer vacation after her Fifth Year. "I reckon he wanted the Wizarding world isolated because the Muggle world is where impetus for reform and ethics comes from. In the Muggle world Sirius would have had a chance to prove his innocence."

Draco shrugged. "In your world, I trust that the constant harassment of Slytherins would eventually be noticed and dealt with. I've read some countries allow people of the same sex to marry, believing the institution means more than forcing us to stand at stud and breed more."  

Hermione made to speak but Draco held up his hand. "Granger, I'm sure you were going to say there's unfairness everywhere. I agree that despite the best intentions, sometimes errors are made and people suffer. The constant harassment suffered by Slytherins at Hogwarts has lasted for decades, though."

"You and your Slytherins!" Hermione glared at Draco. She was angry at the fact that he, like the Slytherin Prince he was, twisted the conversation about the Marriage Law to defend his house.

"I'm right, Granger. How would you like to face an enraged werewolf as a prank, like Severus did?  Competent caretakers would notice and take action. In the Wizarding World, however, it is allowed because it concerns the conniving, lowly Slytherins."

Ginny entered the conversation, her cheeks red as she thought about the injustices the Marriage Law would create. "Marriage reserved for straight people is such a staple of tradition that it won't be changed unless wizards see the effects firsthand in the Muggle world." She hunched down her shoulders, her voice dropping in concern. "We have a situation in which people are treated as little more than animals and forced to mate with the person the Government deem fit."

Hermione sighed sadly. "The Ministry handle affairs little better than Voldemort did."

Draco glanced at the parchments he held in his hands and continued nonchalantly, without any outward sign of alarm. "We got off track, and now it is time to return to the Arithmancy equations I was talking about, Granger. You'll recall I told you the root number relates directly to the phase of the moon?"

Draco pushed the parchments towards Hermione and pointed at them. She was exasperated and wanted to know what in Merlin's name Draco was talking about, so she looked down and gasped when she recognised the Serpent's Map which Draco had shoved at her.  

There were the silly psychotic lions denoting Ginny and her, next to Draco's insufferable smirking snake. A bit farther away, though, Hermione noticed another icon bearing the name _Ronald Weasley_ and letters showing his pureblood status, PB.

She tilted up her neck to gaze towards the direction Ron should be, according to the Map, but she didn't see anything. She was about to tell Draco that his map was defective and Snape wasn't a genius potions maker when she realised the probable truth. Ron was spying on them under the Invisibility Cloak!

Hermione grimaced briefly but continued Draco's charade, pushing the Map towards him as she said brightly, "The imaginary and magical roots of the equations do respond to the moon phases, though it is only the secondary effects we need worry about. I'll take your proposal under consideration and will contact you shortly. Quite right for once, Malfoy!" 

Whilst Draco glared at Hermione's impromptu answer, Ginny frowned at her friends, wondering if they had lost their minds. Hermione managed to catch her eye; raising her eyebrow, she touched the map, unconsciously copying the Malfoy style.  

Ginny nodded slowly in understanding as Hermione grabbed her books and stuffed them in her bag, cocking her head at the entrance of the library. "Do you want to go to the Lake and talk?"

Ginny nodded, packing swiftly her things because Hermione dashed out of the room after a brief nod towards Draco.  

\--

Draco checked the map to make sure the Gryffindors, both the visible and invisible ones, had left the room. He noticed that Hannah Abbott was rapidly walking towards the Library.

The petite Hufflepuff stormed inside, her robes billowing as she made her way towards Draco, who nodded at his friend. He was a tad nervous around her because Hannah's mother had been killed during the dark year he spent carrying out Voldemort's odious task.  

Hannah had to study hard to make up for the two years she had missed in her education, and Draco admired her pluck for returning to Hogwarts to take part in the Final Battle. It made him recall his part in that confrontation with shame, forced as he was to use his cunning just to survive Voldemort's actions. Yet the remembrance of that time also fuelled Draco's resolve to lead his own life, no matter what other higher powers wanted or demanded of him.

Hannah and Susan Bones both suffered grievous losses but they endured. To Draco, they symbolised Hufflepuff loyalty to friends and hard work ethic.

The house Draco dismissed earlier in his Hogwarts career was now the place where he felt most comfortable. Hufflepuff felt like home to Draco, not the lofty aeries of Ravenclaw or Gryffindor Tower, or the cold comfort of the dungeons.  

"I hate that bloke I am to marry," said Hannah, huffing in irritation.

Draco offered words of solace to his distressed friend, feeling they were not enough; luckily Justin Finch-Fletchley walked towards their table.

"Hannah, why are you so sad?" he said, his fingers brushing his Head Boy badge.

"Marriage Law," said Hannah sharply.

"Indeed it is a dastardly creation, hardly worth to be discussed in the House of Commons," said Justin.

"What do you mean?" She brushed aside a curl of her hair to peer at Justin.

"I don't know if you're aware of it, but the Commons don't have time for this silly stuff. The Prime Minister has plans to use them to curtail the prerogatives of the House of Lords."

Draco's ears pricked up at that. Justin wanted to enter politics after graduating from Hogwarts; he often hinted that Draco should join him in Oxford.

Draco squinted at him, recalling that Justin's father, Mr Jason Finch-Fletchley, was a Member of Parliament.

"Justin, I'm meeting Father in Hogsmeade," he drawled.

"Oh, that's nice."

"Why don't you join us?" Draco hefted his book. "You need some respite from your duties. By the way, you might want to invite your father. I know Lucius would love to talk politics with him."

"Oi, what are you up to?" said Terry Boot, strolling towards the table, his arms cradling several books. The Ravenclaw boy had been one of the first to accept Draco's newfound maturity.

"Whatever it is, it isn't the scientific stuff you love," said Hannah, smiling at Terry to take the sting off her words. "You're the first student I've met who wants to join magic and science."

"That reminds me, I have to study for the Arithmantic exam," said Terry forlornly

Having checked the Serpent's Map for magical eavesdroppers, Draco shrugged as he lazily cast privacy charms with the intention to inform his friends about his conversation with Hermione and Ginny.  

\--

Harry scuffed his shoes on the stone floor, gazing up and down the corridor. He met Draco in the Room of Requirement, where they practiced spells, every Monday and Friday. He sighed in satisfaction at having arrived first, and started pacing to and fro as he pictured the Room garbed in Gryffindor colours. If Draco showed up first, the Room was in those shades of green he had lately begun to hate, whilst Susan's early arrival meant that the room had yellow and purple fixtures.

They had already practiced light and gray spells, so Harry pointed at the door when Draco showed up, his blond hair glimmering in the gloomy light. "Reckon the Room's ready. Hope you'll teach us Dark spells."

"I might at that, Harry." Draco bowed and waved at the door. "Susan's busy today so I think we can spice things up."

Harry walked inside, his robes billowing slightly. He sighed in satisfaction at the bright décor of the room whilst Draco shrugged in irritation and said, "I'm going to start us off with an innocent spell called _Sectuminutae."_

"Seems familiar," said Harry. "What does it do?"

 _"_ Causes wounds that stop bleeding in a few minutes." Draco shrugged off his robes, his slim shape eliciting a heartfelt sigh from Harry.

"Severus expanded upon this spell to create _Sectumsempra_. You are aware that those wounds do not heal unless the correct herb or counter spell is used."

Harry shuddered when he remembered the dark time in the bathroom when he cast the spell at Draco, but then his countenance lit up as he piped up, "Can I practice that on you?"

"Are you crazy, Potter?" Draco said in irritation.  "I suffered the effect of a similar spell, if you remember. I won't allow you to cast it on me!"

Harry grimaced in pain which caused Draco to lift his arm, timidly brushing his hand across Harry's broad shoulder. "I'm sorry, I realise we were under a lot of pressure that year. It's just that I remember the way you just stood there and…"

"I understand completely, Draco." Harry smiled benignly, his eyes shining by the light of the numerous sconces on the walls. "I'll find something else to practice on. I hoped that I could help you to erase those fears which may well paralyse you."  

Draco stomped away, confused by Harry's changing moods which often baffled him. He glared at a particularly disturbing red and gold sofa. To be truthful, he was glad Harry had changed and no longer saw him as the enemy, but the newly collected Harry got on his nerves fast.

Draco was nervous because he had caught Harry's shy admiring glances. Was Potter gay? What about the beautiful Cho and Ginny?

Draco felt conflicting emotions about Harry. Sometimes, he wanted to smack him on the head; more often than not, Draco wanted to kiss him. It made him yearn for the time he saw Harry only as his rival, a worthy target for his silly school pranks, like dressing up as a Dementor to scare him.

Growing bored at Draco's silence; Harry took out the Elder wand and cast an old specialty of Draco's, _Serpensortia._

He nodded at the huge boa constrictor that materialised in the room. The serpent shook its head as Harry swished his want to cast _Sectuminutiae_ on it.

Having suffered the effects of the spell, the boa started bleeding slightly. Harry frowned at the sibilant sounds of Parseltongue reaching his ears.

 _'Damn warmbloodsssss, intent on hurting poor coldbloodsssss like me,'_ hissed the boa angrily, shaking its head.

Harry healed the wounds, hissing in turn at the boa. _'Sssssorry, what'sss your name by the way?'_

 _'You may call me Issimahara, warmblood. It's a female name, if your pitiful warm brain can grasssp the concept.'_ The boa showed her fangs in a threatening smile.

Harry shrugged, deciding that the snake had good reasons to be angry at him. _'I'm going to ssssend you to the Forbidden Forest, Issimahara.'_

Draco's ears pricked up at that, and he grasped Harry's elbow. "What are you doing, Potter?"

"Reckon I'm inviting the boa to live in the Forbidden Forest."

"Have you forgotten where we are, Harry?" Draco said with a sneer. "I rather doubt a snake would find Scotland in winter a congenial place."

He pulled Harry by the arm and they approached the serpent. The boa reared her head, her tongue flicking out as she contemplated them.

Draco cocked his eyebrow at Harry. "Translate for me, ask her where she lives."

Issimiraha hissed, " _In Brazil, near the delightful silver river."_

Harry hissed for a while, translating the exchange between Draco and the boa.  

"Do you know the name of the river?"

' _Mason, Amazon, sssssomething like that. Warmbloods just run away when they sssssee me, so I couldn't ask them. Haven't met any  warmbloodsss that can understand the true speech, presssent company excepted. Guessss your black tendrils and antennae make you ssssmart, huh?'_

Harry  faltered as he hissed a reply. _'Antennae! Tendrils! I'll let you know that…'_

"Know the name of any nearby town?" Draco drawled, hiding his smile.

_'Once or twice, I heard them yell Belem as they ran from me.'_

"I'll send you near Belem in the Amazon area, where a boa called Issimiraha used to live." Draco stared at the snake.

Issi wrapped herself around the legs of the blond. Draco was afraid because his interactions with giant snakes consisted of Voldemort's evil pet, Nagini. Issi didn't have the aura of death and despair cast by evil Nagini, though. Instead, the snobby snake projected an air of coiled resolve.

Eventually Draco patted Issi, which prompted the snake to hiss, _'The warmblood is not as hot as you, tendriled one!'_

Harry blushed, his hand straying unconsciously towards Draco's shoulder. Then he squinted at the boa. ' _What do you mean?'_

' _His skin is colder than yours, his white tendrils are pleasing, and his bright eyes remind me of my river.'_

Harry blushed as he glared at the snake; it seemed to him Issi was laughing at his discomfiture.  

Meanwhile, Draco swished and flicked his hawthorn wand and the boa disappeared, flicking her tongue at Harry in farewell.

"What spell did you use?"

"My godfather taught it to me. Severus said it would return a thing to its specific location. You have to know the place it came from."

"You were close to Snape, I reckon." Harry lowered his chin, staring at the stone floor.

Draco touched Harry's tanned cheek, his fingers lingering for a brief moment which brought a blush to both their faces. "Indeed. I know you have suffered losses too. I hope that someday, you and I will remember them with the fondness they deserve."

Harry hunched his shoulders and sighed. "Reckon they have embarked on the next great adventure."

Draco couldn't bear the sight of Harry's sad countenance, so he said brightly, "We will have journeys of our own. We are not meant to stay here but to sail forth, and escape the cloying past."

[  
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	4. Chapter four

 

**September 26th 1998  
The Hog's Head, Hogsmeade**

Draco made it early to the meeting with his father and the Finch-Fletchleys. Aberforth winked at him whilst he laid down the old rag he was using to polish the counter in lieu of spells, and cocked his head at the butterbeer bottle in front of him.

Draco fidgeted with his Slytherin tie and nervously brushed his short blond hair. He hoped the meeting would go well but he couldn't gauge how deep his father's prejudice still ran.

Aberforth set down the goblet with butterbeer in front of Draco, and made small talk. They passed the time exchanging stories, though Draco was reluctant to talk about his experiences in the War.

Dumbledore shrugged and took out his wand, casually accioing a goblet with vintage Firewhiskey.

"Reckon I understand you, lad," he said in a gravelly voice. "We all face the consequences of our choices, like my father did when he dealt with my sister's ravishers."

"Do you think the Headmaster could have done more at the time?" Draco gulped down his drink, nervous at the recollection of facing Albus Dumbledore that time he let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts.

"At the time, I thought so." Aberforth wrapped his gnarled hand around his goblet, staring down at it. "Now I'm not so sure, though Albus wasn't much help at the time. Always too immersed in plots, that boy was. Too deep to help my sister – or Mother for that matter."

"I see," Draco said solemnly, though he didn't see at all. If Narcissa or Lucius had been in trouble, he would have done everything to help them. This was his main motivation in helping Voldemort, along with saving his own life. The plots he concocted during Fifth Year, dark and twisted as they were had the aim of preserving his parents' lives.

The innkeeper stared at the hog's head impaled on the wall as if it was some oracular device. "Albus always tried to fix things his way. Too smart for his own good, I always thought."

At this point they were interrupted by the Finch-Fletchleys. Justin strolled over and smacked Draco's arm. The Hufflepuff turned to his father and introduced Draco.

Draco stood up and shook the man's hand. He was the mature version of Justin; the same curly hair – though liberally sprinkled with grey; brown eyes and the intent, honest expression Justin often sported. Draco glanced at the impeccable Armani suit whilst Jason Finch-Fletchley shook his hand.

They sat down and the newcomers ordered a round of butterbeer. Justin and Draco discussed school subjects, and a few minutes later Lucius Malfoy strode in.

Draco was quite worried because when he wrote to his father to arrange this rendezvous, he had left out an important bit of information - the fact that his schoolmate's father was a Muggle. Draco believed Lucius would accept Mr Finch-Fletchley, but Lucius was known to behave like a primadonna.

The elder Malfoy discerned at a glance that the man was a Muggle; hardly any wizard wore such elegant suits. Lucius toyed with the idea of storming out of the inn, but the beseeching look in his son's eyes stayed his hand. The hard facts were that they needed all the help they could get, even from Muggles. Knowing wizarding law, Lucius had an inkling that the Muggle way may prove to be superior in the end.

So Lucius sauntered to the table and introduced himself with utmost courtesy, which surprised Justin. This was the infamous Lucius Malfoy, whom everyone vilified?

Jason recognised a fellow privileged man who behaved with courtesy. They started to shot questions at each other, and the older men's clipped exchanges and comments marked them as doers. They started appreciating their complex, political opinions.

Draco and Justin told their fathers what they had glimpsed about the Marriage Law.

"Told Hermione and Ginny about the law," said Draco.

Lucius arched his eyebrow at this sign of familiarity from his usual reticent son, nodding slowly when Draco explained his conclusions about Magna Carta and the geas.

"Geas, what is that?" said Jason.

"I'll explain later." Lucius sipped his drink slowly, figuring how to fight the Law so his son wouldn't be ensnared in an odious marriage.

When Draco got to the part where Lavender gloated about being his future wife, Lucius clenched his fingers around his goblet, trying not to plot retaliations against them all.

"It's true; heard Lavender going on about becoming your wife." Justin motioned for a refill. He looked at his father, noting Jason's deep frown. For all of his open-minded acceptance of magic, Justin's father was a tad wary about the Wizarding World – a fact that was compounded by the dire news Justin was forced to impart during the War.

The Hufflepuff brushed his curls. "So that's it in a nutshell, dad. We've no say in the matter and if we do not comply, we'll be stripped of our magic and obliviated. It'll be a painful mess for all concerned."

The innkeeper handed him the goblet and Justin nodded at him. They knew each other from the time Aberforth helped them during the gruelling occupation under Death Eater rule.

Taking a fortifying sip from his drink, Justin continued, "I was fortunate because I really like the person they chose for me, but many others," he pointed with his glass at Draco, who was slouching on the chair, "including Draco, are bound to the machinations of the Ministry."

Noting Draco's untoward posture, Lucius scowled fiercely as Justin continued, "If Hermione and Draco are right, there's no way to fight against the dratted Law."

Jason scowled at his son for his language, but Justin shrugged at his father's disapproval. "Even if we went abroad – if the _geas_ is disobeyed we'll be cursed and die." Justin shuddered as he sipped his brew; even its heavenly taste could not dispel the macabre imagery.

"We need you, dad," continued the Hufflepuff whilst he looked at his father with bright eyes. "You explained our system and that made me yearn to join it and fight the good fight."

He gazed out the grimy windows of the Hog's head, seeing with his mind's eye the magical world that extended beyond Hogwarts. "I wouldn't be content if I just ran away from the ideals of liberty you told me about."  

Draco gently cupped the stem of the goblet between his alabaster fingers. "In the new magical world, liberty doesn't matter."

Lucius took out a leather briefcase and enlarged it with a swish of his wand, and then he took out several parchments. He nudged his chair towards Jason, and the two men brainstormed as Draco and Justin watched.

The two students got bored, and when Dumbledore motioned to the door, indicating he was closing for the day, the older men explained their conclusions.

"They want to force you using the same law in both realms." Jason touched a parchment. "What we have to do is to attack them where they don't expect."

Lucius nodded. "First thing is to repeal the law as enacted. We could have used the House of Lords for that."

Jason turned to the pureblood and said wistfully, remembering the dealings he witnessed in Westminster. "But the Government saw fit to dismantle the Lords' prerogatives, so this option is no longer available."

Remembering his father discussing the issue one summer, Justin piped up, "We could use the method of Devolution in Scotland."

"What is that?" said Draco.

Justin hastened to add, "It means giving more power to the local governments of Scotland, Wales and so on."

Justin gazed at his father. "We could say that this matter needs to be left to the Scots to decide."  

"Good idea, except Devolution deals mainly with taxes." Jason frowned.

Lucius fingered the papers earnestly. He was born to wheedle and seek a political way to make things happen. It was what he wanted to do before the attraction of power sucked him into Voldemort's group. Paving the way for his son invigorated him in ways Lucius did not expect. He leaned towards Jason and drawled, "Our only succour must be the House of Commons."

The elder Malfoy continued, "The Law must be stopped. I hear the vote's coming up soon, and there are people whose assistance I can count on." He took a deep breath and glanced at Jason before going on. "I gather you can influence others and bring them to our side. Shacklebolt is overconfident; he would not consider the possibility of Muggles interfering."

Jason glanced at his watch and then stood up, bowing at Lucius. "I must rush, I'm afraid. I left my car 10 miles from here." He pointed at his son. "Justin summoned an ancient carriage that moves by itself! Wonderful! If I come up with something, how may I contact you?"  

Lucius opened his briefcase and took an inkwell and quill which he gave to Jason. "I'll send an owl just for you, Jason. Write with this ink; it will be unreadable for anyone but us."

\--

On Sunday, Draco met with the gang in the Room of Requirement.

Hermione suggested informing Harry but Draco pointed out that burdening Harry with their plots would be wrong. He didn't mention his hunch that something was slightly askew with the Gryffindor.

Draco and Justin told them what happened at the meeting, and Ginny mentioned the strange conversation she'd overheard with Lavender and Parvati.

The Slytherin shrugged because this confirmed his suspicions about the true intent of the Marriage Law. "Why do you think the Ministry is so committed to the Marriage Law?" Draco said. He reclined lazily against the oak table kindly provided by the Room. "You have to ask yourselves the question about who benefits from this."

Draco pointed at Hermione.  "As I told Granger some time ago, the Malfoy money was saved from the clutches of the government due to ancient magic." Seeing the puzzled look of his friends, he said, "A charm binds the estate to the heir by blood so if the Ministry had unlawfully seized our estate, the spell would've caused the money to disappear."

Ginny nodded. "I've heard dad talk about that spell, though he disapproves of it, saying it is another piece of pureblood nonsense." The redhead took out a quill and twirled it between her fingers. "The spell acts in many Pureblood families. The Government know better than to interfere and know ..."

"They can't _act directly_." Draco said, and Ginny glared at him. He took out a book from Hermione's stash and glanced at the title. "Imagine two years from now. Many pureblood families have babies, following the dictates of the Marriage Law. I'd expect a sudden rash of divorces, with custody resting with the mothers - in my case and Blaise's."

Draco snorted. "Of course the courts would grant the innocent parties what they wanted."

"You mean they would give control of the monies to the espouses they selected for you?" said Hermione.

The Slytherin nodded. "The Government would have babies and pliant divorced wives to deal with; thus, it would be easy for the estates to be dismantled lawfully."

Recalling Voldemort's speech when he tried to grab the Philosopher's stone, Ginny said, "In the end, this is about money and power, and how to use them."

\--

The following Monday, Harry was walking towards the Room of Requirement when he met a disgruntled Susan Bones. She mussed her plaited blond hair as she denounced loudly that git, Etienne Zabini; apparently the boy had the gall to send her a gift to initiate their courtship.

While they waited for Draco, Harry mentioned how strange it was to see Draco mingling with Hufflepuffs.

"You might think you know about us," Susan said whilst the Grey Lady saluted them with a nod of her translucent head. "But you don't, no one really does. My family's motto is _'Reconciliation first.'_ After the war was over, it was time to leave it behind and start fresh."

Susan walked up the marble stairs and nodded at the painting of three friars who were writing in a scriptorium. "I could forgive Draco or not, but I remembered watching his joy and tears of happiness when he reunited with his parents during the final battle."

Harry didn't recall the occasion because that day was tinged with regret and sadness after the deaths caused by Voldemort's forces. In the confusion of the aftermath, all he remembered distinctly were the bodies of his friends and classmates lying on the Great Hall, he nodded grimly.

"If I had the dilemma of losing my family, perhaps I would have done the same thing he did - family demands commitment," the Head Girl said.

Thinking about the family he never had, Harry nodded. "Reckon I'd do everything for my family, even if they are the Dursleys."

Susan shot him a sympathetic look. Harry's treatment at the hands of the Dursleys was common knowledge amongst the members of Dumbledore's Army. Many times she'd spoken with her friends about it. Many believed Harry needed to stay with them due to some family magic which protected him from Voldemort, but a few of thought that  there were other, viable methods that weren't so awful.

If Dumbledore was so intent on keeping Death Eaters away from Harry during his formative years, his handling of the whole fake Moody affair would lead to the conclusion that the Headmaster had not been all that omniscient.

Shaking her head, Susan said, "On the first day of term, I was walking on the corridor. You know, the one next to the Charms classroom?"

"I remember."

"I found Draco fighting four blokes – amongst them was Ron, by the way."

 _Trust Ron to hold a grudge,_ thought Harry ruefully, shaking his head.

Susan stopped in front of the tapestry of the Dancing troll whilst Harry paced back and forth the required number of times. "Seamus was there, too. The lot was prepared to hex Draco. I had a choice."

"I see."

Susan paused to frame her thoughts. "I could walk away and turn my back on what Hufflepuff represents – compassion and friendship - or I could fight on the side of the downtrodden."

After the door appeared, Harry motioned for Susan to enter. She walked inside, calling over her shoulder, "It was one of the easiest choices I've made."

Harry frowned, recalling his own life. Perils seemed to spring out of nowhere and lay in ambush for him. Fighting Voldemort, he really had no choice but to follow his instincts and trust in Dumbledore's guidance. His path certainly had no easy choices; Harry had berated himself endlessly due to the deaths of those dear to him; his parents, and Sirius, always Sirius.

Amidst these tribulations, he'd come to rely on simple comforts like friendship and his small circle of friends. Harry had seen in Draco another victim of Voldemort's and had chosen to reach out to the Slytherin, to offer his support to escape Azkaban.

Harry recalled fondly the brat he'd met at Madam Malkin's before his first trip to Hogwarts. Despite everything that had happened, the Gryffindor had faith in Draco's goodness because of his decision not to murder Dumbledore. For Harry, helping Draco had been one of the easiest decisions he'd made; so he just nodded.

Susan picked up a cushion and threw it on the floor to sit down whilst they waited for the Slytherin. "So I decided to work for the future because we all make mistakes."

Susan cast Tempus and frowned at the time, wondering where the Slytherin was. "Draco's still as stubborn and passionate as ever, but more amenable to reason. He's got a temper, as several in the school will tell you, and he can prank them good." The Hufflepuff essayed a smirk. "I'll go so far as to admit that he was helped by Hufflepuffs, and Terry. That Ravenclaw is really devious."

Susan felt Harry's piercing stare, as if the Gryffindor was trying to gauge her deepest thoughts. Though Harry seemed unaware of this behaviour, it was strange for the normally cheerful Gryffindor.

Draco arrived, murmuring curses at an owl named Osiris that couldn't wait for an answer, and they fell to performing their routine exercises.

Afterward, at Draco's urging, they started using the sword. Learning to wield it with grace was exacting work, and when the allotted time had run out they were tired.

They still had time defend against Dark spells, at which Harry was proving to be unbeatable. He didn't conjure any snakes to use as duds, just ordered the Room to produce dummies.

Harry approached Draco and blushed. "D-do y-you want to…"

The blond gazed at Harry's flushed face and said gently, "What do you want to say?"

Harry scuffed his shoes against the stone floor. "Will you go with me to Hogsmeade?"

Draco winced inwardly because he had to meet his father again at the Hog's Head. "I'm sorry, Harry, but I've stuff to do on Sunday."

Harry's face fell, and seeing this, Draco hastened to add, "We could go on Saturday if you want."

"Reckon that'd be fine!" Harry beamed at him, the sight warming Draco's tired body.

While they were talking, Susan made her way to the door, and Draco called out to her, "Aren't you coming with us?"

She mumbled curses under her breath.

"Come on, Susan! What gives? You wouldn't want Hannah and Justin to get worried, would you?"

She sighed to herself. Draco might be softer now, but it didn't mean he was any less of a stubborn Slytherin. If Hannah and Justin found out about this, they would pester her for days.

"Fine! I'm going out with Robert Lehmke. He's the ombudswoman's nephew or something, a Slytherin in sixth year." She glared at Draco and crossed her arms. "Of course, with the dratted Marriage Law, it makes no difference what I want anymore, does it?"

Draco walked up to Susan and gave her a heartfelt hug."I'll distract the Snoopy Duo. Have fun."

Harry couldn't help but feel envious of Susan.

\--

On the last day of September, Draco received a letter from his father. Lucius and Jason wanted to meet with the students. Draco was instructed to use the enclosed portkey at 5:00 sharp to get to the estate of the Finch-Fletchleys.

At lunch, Draco waved Lavender over and, sporting his trademark Malfoy smirk, gave her several parchments. "I've been researching, Lav, and I need your signature in all these papers."

Lavender did as her fiancé requested and left with a sneer, unaware of the angry stares of the Slytherins, and the amused Hufflepuffs.

Then Draco leaned towards Terry and told him about the meeting. Hermione and Ginny were sitting in front of Draco and nodded at his words.

Justin shrugged and pointed at sliver of copper just below his Head Boy badge, sporting the letters RAMS. "It's Hermione latest creation," he drawled, " _Resistance_ _Against Marriage Submission."_

They met in front of the Room of Requirement. Hannah opened the door and waved them into the room that was decorated according to her wishes.

Terry and Draco started complaining about the awful yellow-purple combination; Justin joined their chorus, ignoring the angry stares of Hannah and Susan.

Draco unbuttoned his robes, and began to take off his belt to their amazement. He held it up and cocked his head at it. "This is the portkey."

They all grabbed the belt and were duly whisked away, reappearing in the manor of Jason Finch-Fletchley.

\--

The door opened and the butler waved them in, leading the way to the dining room.

Approaching the centre of the room, Draco noticed the table was covered by papers.  Lucius and Jason were in a very spirited discussion about the United Nations Chart.

After the men greeted their sons and introductions were offered, the Hogwarts students sat down. Draco handed over the parchment with Lavender's signature. Lucius glared at it and hastily put it aside.

"I take it you have all been informed about the current situation with the Law." Lucius raised his eyebrow at the students.

"We have, Mr Malfoy," said Justin.

"The Bill will be presented to Parliament on October 5th." Lucius nodded at his partner. "Jason and I are doing our utmost to ensure that the measure does not find enough votes to become the law of the realm."

Whilst Lucius was talking, Hermione gazed intently at the books. Given her ordeal at the hands of crazed Bellatrix, Hermione could not find it in herself to trust Lucius completely. She kept trying, but it was very hard to find the empathy needed to forgive him.

Putting the book down, Hermione frowned. "What measures are you taking to ensure this, Lucius? Political or magical?"

Knowing that Hermione was bound to distrust him, Lucius said calmly, "I assure you, Miss Granger, that if I were to employ _Imperio_ on a Member of Parliament I would not succeed. In fact, I would act against the delicate _geas_ that presides over our actions and probably would suffer a calamitous accident or die."

Jason sensed the awkwardness of the situation between Lucius and Hermione. The Malfoy patriarch had confided in him, so Jason sought to defuse the situation; he smiled at Hermione. "We will use the traditional weapons of politics, persuasion and applying political pressures."

Looking sharply at his son, Jason said, "If we succeed and the bill is defeated in the Commons, you lot have the problem of getting married to comply with that crazy Law, for it would still be valid for wizards." Jason pointed at the papers."This is where Lucius and I come in. We've concocted a delightful plan. Wizards tried to use Parliament to do their dirty work for them." He smirked gleefully, not unlike Lucius. "Let them live with the results when we respond!"

Draco smiled triumphantly and picked up a law book he knew from his own research. "I think I know where this is going. In the Wizarding World we have no recourse outside the Wizengamot and the Ministry. In the Muggle world, there are many possibilities to fight against an unpopular measure while staying within the law."

Hermione frowned at the need to research more extensively. She hated when she failed to understand something at once. "So you are going to demand support from the Muggles?"

Jason said excitedly, "On the contrary, my dear. Draco has no rights in our world. There are no records of his birth, any identification or school history, nothing. He can't demand a trial if he doesn't exist in our eyes. I suppose this is another way the Wizarding World excludes you from participating in society, making you invisible." Sounding uncannily like a younger Lucius, Jason drawled lazily, "Let me read you a part of the proposed Marriage Law."

He picked up a paper.

_"Be it considered as proved that the State needs to safeguard the purity of the stock by adequately husbanding like with unlike to prevent unwanted complications. An individual with mixed stock will produce offspring with a genealogically pure individual; common stock will be joined with the pure entity."_

Hermione realised with a sinking feeling how secure and smug the proponents of the Law must feel when they hoodwinked their putative allies with such artful drivel.

Ginny's face was red, and the redhead was glaring at Justin, as if his making Head Boy was to blame for the whole fiasco.

"No, Draco will not demand anything," Jason said. "We will open proceedings in London, before the Director of Public Prosecutions. We'll also lodge a complaint with the European Union in Brussels."

Not wanting to be left out, Lucius drawled, "And with the United World in New York!"

Jason shook his head ruefully. "The United Nations, Lucius – there's no such thing as the United World."

Whilst the Malfoy patriarch glared at his new friend, Jason nodded blithely. "We will argue that human rights are violated by forcing your hand in a manner that is reminiscent of slave trading. We will do this whether the law passes in the Commons or not."

"If it passes, we continue our efforts," said Lucius. "If the bill can't muster enough votes to pass, however, it will undermine the Wizarding Marriage Law."

"I see," said Draco.

Lucius nodded regally. "The beauty of this is that the persons complaining do exist in their world because they are half bloods and Muggleborns." He pointed at them. "Terry Boot, Hannah Abbot, Susan Bones and our own delightful Lavender Brown."

Ginny wasn't sure it would be as easy as the men proposed. "What do you think they'll do?"

"At worst, they will be put under enormous political pressure," said Jason. "The British Government will be under pressure from the European Union and UN, and the Ministry from the Muggle Government. The wizards in charge will realise they are not lords over all of creation¸ there is an independent source of succour."

Pointing to the parchments scattered around the table, Lucius said, "At best, the agencies involved will fight tooth and nail against the Marriage Law, knowing they face legal repercussions if they do not perform their jobs."

Hermione, as was her wont, rapidly found the weak spot in their reasoning. "What about the Statute of Secrecy? We'll be putting ourselves in danger if those people find out about us!"

"The sessions will be attended by few," Lucius said. "Fourteen men and women, if all goes well, which is below the number of eyewitness that are obliviated after a magical prank has been unleashed in the Muggle world."

With a troubled expression, Ginny said. "How many people in the Ministry know of the intent to seize the estates?"

Hermione turned to her friend. "We don't know how many are in the know. It might be that your father and Percy are unaware of this."

Hannah smiled warmly at Ginny. "I don't reckon Mr. Weasley would support any of this."

\--

Hermione wanted to be included amongst the plaintiffs. Seeing their baffled looks, she brushed aside a strand of her hair and glared at them.  "I love Ron, but I wanted to wait and enjoy a long courtship and a relaxed wedding- It's what I dreamed of in the forest, while we were away from Hogwarts."

She scowled at the offending parchments. "This silly law forces me to give up all these cherished dreams. I know too well how demeaning it is to be judged according to blood distinctions!"

Draco shivered as Hermione continued her passionate outburst. "I thought we abolished these beliefs along with Voldemort's regime!" She cracked a smile as she picked up her quill and appended her signature. "As a founding member of RAMS: _Resistance Against Marriage Submission_ , it behoves me to set an example."

As they were preparing to return to Hogwarts, Draco mulled in his mind the measures discussed tonight. They were working hard, but the elusive quest for marriage equality remained too distant. He wanted to discuss his plans with Justin; using the law the way Lucius and Jason envisaged, he hoped it would become reality in the future.

 

 


	5. Chapter five

 

**October 3rd, 1998**  
 **Hogwarts**

Draco waited ten minutes before Harry showed up for their Hogsmeade outing as the Hufflepuffs smirked at him. The Slytherin huffed when he realised he was a bad influence on the Puffs, and then he sat up and moved towards his trusty Slytherins. At least the Snoopy Duo – also known as Hannah and Justin – wasn't there. The two nagged him so much that he had blurted out he was going out with Harry.

Draco's nifty transfiguration spell to give them elephant ears didn't work against the former members of the DA – they managed to cast shields in time.

The Slytherin cut a dashing figure in skin-tight black trousers and a grey button-down shirt. His hair was free; sometimes, his blond fringe would obscure the vision of his right eye. Draco was talking with his remaining friends in Slytherin, waiting his unpunctual date, when he was approached by Zacharias and Weasley.

"Look, Ron, no one wants to sit near the Ferret," drawled Smith, nudging Weasley's elbow.

"Doesn't surprise me, I wouldn't sit near a Death Eater." Ron tilted his chin to wink at Smith. "No wonder he wants to marry poor Lavender. No sane witch would tie the knot with a traitor like him."

Draco noticed Weasley's hand sneaking towards his robe, and before the redhead could hex him, Draco brandished his wand which was lying on the table. He shot a quick _Expelliarmus_ towards Weasley; Ron's wand hit the floor with a sot thump.

Zacharias tried to help the redhead, but he was hit by a curse which turned him into a yellow weasel. Ginny sniggered as she stuck her wand on her pocket with a flourish, bending down to pick the furry mammal which glared up at her, his whiskers twitching threateningly.  

"You resemble your prat friend," drawled Draco whilst the mammal tried to bit his ankles. He nodded his thanks to the Weasley girl, who stood up and bowed shallowly at him.

McGonagall approached the table, having been alerted by the house-elves about the commotion. She frowned at them, angrily whipping out her wand to change Smith back.

The Headmistress took 50 points each from Slytherin and Hufflepuff, after hearing Weasley and Smith's recounting of the incident. She also gave one month's worth of detentions to Ginny and Draco.

Ginny scrunched up her face and glared at her whilst Draco just shrugged. After all, he was quite accustomed to McGonagall favouring Gryffindor. But ombudswoman Lehmke arrived just after Ginny finished explaining why she transfigured Smith. The tall woman leaned on the table whilst she heard the students.

Draco shot her a pleading look when the ombudswoman nodded sternly at McGonagall's harsh verdict. He expected her to overrule to overrule the Headmistress.

"What is your opinion, Lehmke?" McGonagall glanced at the woman who had the power to review students' complaints at Hogwarts.

The students at the Slytherin table frowned, expecting the ombudswoman to side with the anti-Slytherin mood prevalent at Hogwarts ever since Dumbledore was Headmaster.

"I do believe the punishment was correctly meted out," said Lehmke softly. "As a matter of fact, I reckon it was a tad soft."

Draco glanced down at the table and hunched his shoulder. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

"Miss Weasley, transfiguring a human being into an animal is a degrading and painful thing to do," said Lehmke.

Ginny looked down at the marble floor, shaking her head. If her mother got hold of the story, she was done for.

"If we have great gifts, we must also use them judiciously." Lehmke pursed her lips into a thin line. "As teachers, we must object most strongly at this mode of thinking. Therefore, you will undergo counselling sessions until the councillor deems you fit."

Ginny looked up at that, hoping the sessions wouldn't interfere with Quidditch.

"What would happen if you transfigured a fellow student and left him alone; let's say in the baggage compartment of the train?" Ginny frowned at the ombudswoman. What was she about? Ginny wasn't the one who ganged up on Draco on the Hogwarts Express, though she wished she had been because the Slytherin was so insufferable sometimes!

"Weasley and Smith." Lehmke shifted her gaze to the two boys who'd been smirking, quite sure that the Slytherins would be chastised as usual. "Your opinions about Malfoy's involvement with Death Eaters are just that, your personal views."

Draco sniggered, quickly shutting up when Lehmke's censorious gaze fell on him.

"They don't tell us much about Malfoy's current outlook. The fact that you express them so hatefully paints a bleak picture of your mind." Liz Lehmke's stern expression and tight bun gave her a slight resemblance to McGonagall, who was listening to the woman with a pained expression. "Therefore you will also undergo counselling sessions, and you might learn to accept the past."

Draco smirked at Ron's red face. The Gryffindor obviously did not expect that. Then he espied Harry walking towards them. The brunet sported a dashing leather jacket, contrasting nicely with his tight white trousers.

Draco shook his head at Harry's hair; to tame the unruly mop, he'd have to lend Harry his conditioner made from fire slug powder. Thus he missed Lehmke's next words.

"… the need to defend yourself, Malfoy, but it's better to avoid confrontations. Sometimes the better part of valour is discretion," said Lehmke as she fixed Draco with a stern gaze not unlike McGonagall's.

Draco shrugged nonchalantly. He understood that because discretion had dictated his actions during the War: the need to endure Voldemort's hell, trying to ensure that his family survived and he wasn't the reason of his parent's possible demise.

"Therefore Slytherin loses 60 points." Draco shuddered at the ombudswoman's harsh judgment.

Lehmke scowled at Weasley and Smith. "Gryffindor and Hufflepuff will lose eighty points each for starting this confrontation."

Draco exchanged a nod with Hannah, who'd watched the confrontation from the Hufflepuff table. At least Weasley didn't get off scot free.

\--

On the way to Hogsmeade, Draco insisted on going to Puddifoot's. After using _Imperio_ on Rosmerta, the blond felt there was no need to further aggravate the innkeeper by his presence. He also didn't want to visit the Hog's Head because Aberforth might decide to strike a conversation with Harry and spill the beans on their secret rendezvous.

There was something about Harry's behaviour of late that was a bit upsetting to Draco, and he'd rather avoid the Gryffindor knowing their plans to overturn the Marriage Law.

So that left Madam Puddifoot's.

When Draco mentioned that place, Harry shuddered. He recalled his date with Cho, and the Ravenclaw Seeker crying non-stop, her cheeks red and her nose snotty. He shivered at the memory of the pink confetti and the _wet_ kiss.

He turned to look at Draco. The first thing he noticed wasn't the blond hair, impeccable as always, or the grey eyes sparkling with mischief – but his full, pouty lips. He felt compelled to lean towards the Slytherin and kiss him, but he wasn't sure of his reaction. The blond might think him too forward.

He wondered if a kiss with Draco would be as wet as Cho's or as soft as Ginny's. Kissing either girl, Harry felt something missing: the spark that the blond walking next to him always evoked for bad or good.  

The idea of seeing Ron's condemning face convinced him to go where Draco wanted.

After Draco recounted the fight with Weasley, he had to listen to Harry's lecture about the benefits of living peacefully.

He shrugged, turning sideways to roll his eyes. Harry had become a stickler for rules since the battle.

Draco glanced towards his right. The post office echoed with the wild hooting of the owls, their raucous sounds quite uncouth to his ears.  

"…  we must seek out the common good, Draco; it is what you often fail to consider, especially when... Oi, is that owl yours?" Harry pointed to the left. Draco squinted at the darting shape of the owl swooping over Zonko's and heading straight towards them.

When the bird spread his wings and stuck out its claws to land on his shoulders, Draco nodded, recognising the plumage and distinctive orange eyes of his father's eagle owl.

"Sorry, _Noceur._  I don't have treats," Draco hastened to say before the owl could bite him; it was as temperamental as Lucius.

 When Harry lifted an eyebrow and pointed at the letter Draco had taken from the owl's claw, the Slytherin shrugged. "Father's busy, I guess."

He grabbed his wand and murmured the incantation that would decrypt the missive, frowning at the content.

_Son, I have just talked with our solicitor in London. I have received grave news. There was a secret codicil in Abraxas' testament I was not aware of. Arvandus tells me it became operative the moment the Dark Lord truly died. To wit, in order to receive the Malfoy fortune, the heir must be lawfully married by the time he is thirty. Needless to say, a divorce would mean he would lose the entire fortune._

_I'm sure I don't have to point out how this complicates matters regarding the Marriage Law._

_Your concerned father,  
Lucius _

Draco couldn't believe his eyes. _Bloody grandfather Abraxas was so worried about laws and morals, after he plundered and killed in the service of the noseless bastard. He poisoned father's beliefs and mine, but the upright bastard had to ensure that his descendants followed his narrow morals. Fucking hypocrite!_

He crumpled the letter and let if fall onto the cobbled street. Then, with an imperious swish of his wand, he destroyed it.

Harry lifted an eyebrow, looking down at the ashes. "What's the matter, Draco?"

Draco pointed at the floor. "That was a letter from Father. Turns out Abraxas, my bloody ancestor…" Draco sauntered towards the sweet shop which was a few yards farther.

Draco mussed his blond hair, trying to calm down. "My bloody murderous, but so upright grandfather!"

At the door of Honeydukes Draco turned to face Harry, disgust marring his features. "He ensured that the Malfoy fortune could only go to his _lawfully_ wedded descendant. Fucking prick!"

Harry lifted his eyeglasses with his index finger and glanced back at the trees that obscured his vision of the railroad station; the Gryffindor shrugged and tried to calm the enraged Slytherin. "Perhaps he had a reason."

Unmindful of Draco's heated glared directed his way, Harry said calmly, "Tradition is a good thing. Reckon it helps keep our world stable, even in the midst of mayhem. Helped us rebuild our world after Voldemort's chaos."

Draco went into the shop and closed the door with a crash, without waiting for Harry. _What's wrong with him? What the fuck is wrong with the world that won't let me live the way I want to?_ thought Draco in despair.

\--

Inside Honeydukes, Draco used his Occlumency training to push the unwanted feelings aside. He didn't want to jeopardise his outing with Harry. It wasn't Harry's fault that Abraxas was such a hypocrite.

When Harry entered the shop with a puzzled look, Draco shrugged and motioned to the shelves stacked with sweets.

Harry lifted an eyebrow and walked to the shelf with the Chocolate Frogs, near the windows at the back of the store.

Draco grabbed some sweets and approached the raven-haired man. He leaned towards the window and motioned to the left, towards the Shrieking Shack. "I saw your head floating in midair."

Harry smirked and tried to feign innocence. "You reckon?"

"Thought you were a ghost, or that you'd splinched yourself and your body was elsewhere."

Harry grabbed a box of sweets and smiled sweetly.

"I should've been so lucky!" added the blond with a smirk.

Harry smacked him in the arm with the box and then pointed it at the window. "Reckon the last time I was there was when Snape died."

Draco cringed, remembering the people he lost during the war. He put back the box of sweets he'd grabbed because he wasn't that hungry anymore.

After paying for the goods, the boys continued their leisure walk through High Street. When they reached Gladrags, Draco motioned for Harry to enter.

The Gryffindor sighed and opened the door; he wasn't too keen on browsing through scores of gaudy clothes.

Draco looked at the merchandise with a bored mien until he noticed a vest made of velour. Searching through the multicoloured garments, he picked up a matching vest which he threw at Harry. For himself, Draco chose a dark blue one.

Harry grumbled, struggling to put it on in front of the ornate mirror at the back of the store.

Looking at their reflections, Draco noticed their contrasting appearance. Their looks complemented each other. It seemed to him they were halves of a whole, just the way Plato described souls. He sighed, remembering another clothing store long ago, in which a young boy met the child of prophecy. _What would have happened if Harry had become my friend? Would we have survived Voldemort's onslaught, or perished?_

"My treat, Harry." Draco brushed aside the Galleons Harry had put down on the table with a loud thunking sound.  

"I insist." Harry pushed the coins towards the clerk. "I liked the thing, though you could've picked a brighter colour, like gold."

Draco shrugged. "Ever the Gryffindor, huh?"

On their way to Puddifoot's, they passed in front of Scrivenshaft's and Harry cocked his head towards the store.

Draco drawled, "I have enough quills for now."

Harry shrugged, sauntering through the side street. He opened the door to Puddifoot's and motioned for Draco to enter. "Ladies first?"

"You wish, Potter!" growled Draco, making his way into the brightly coloured room.

Harry smirked and followed the blond inside. It seemed that this date wouldn't behave like Cho at all.

When the waitress came up to them, she looked at Harry with awe-struck eyes. The Gryffindor scowled because he was tired of the adoration of the Wizarding world.

Harry shrugged and noticed Draco's scowl. The Slytherin seemed undecided about what treat to order.

Putting the menu on the table, Harry said, "I'd like a Hot Fudge Sundae."

"Indeed, kind sir," said the waitress.

Draco frowned at the girl's obvious fixation on the Saviour and stabbed his hand towards Harry. "I'll have the same, thank you."

Looking at the golden cherubs decorating the walls, Draco sighed. "I see what you meant about the decor, Harry. These things might come in handy to practice curses."

Harry smiled at the Slytherin's snarky comment. _So far Draco's not dull or teary-eyed, thank Merlin!  He's rather demanding, but it's nothing I didn't expect._

The two fell into companionable silence as they ate their treats. Afterwards they talked about the comparatively minor misadventures of returning to their final year at Hogwarts.

"It must seem dull to you." Draco fastidiously wiped his mouth with the napkin, and Harry licked his lips at the sight of those pouty lips, wanting to find out if they tasted as succulent as they appeared.

"Did they tell you about the camping?" Harry said a bit absent-mindedly.

Draco sighed wearily at that; Harry seemed to be in a world of his own. "Granger told me you spent a lot of time camping out."

Recalling their time hunting the horcruxes, Harry shivered. He certainly didn't miss at all the fight with Ron and all the vicissitudes they endured.

"Reckon we were out in the wilderness while you had it easy, Malfoy," said Harry with a playful smirk.

"I'll let you know I wasn't in a bed of roses. Those bloody Carrows were awful."

There was an easy camaraderie belied by their pointed exchange. Both boys were aware of the yokes the other had laboured under.

They left Puddifoot's two hours later. Draco shivered in the autumnal weather, squinting because of the glare of the sun; he glanced at Harry's smiling face.

The two wizards crossed High Street on their way to Dervish and Banges. The owner, Mr Joseph Dervish, instantly recognised the blond mane of the Malfoys. He said obsequiously, "Good evening, Mr. Malfoy, what can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for a good Sneakoscope," said Draco as he looked at the shiny magical devices.

The balding owner went to the back of the shop and returned with a battered Sneakoscope which started immediately started to blare.

Mr Dervish blushed, mortified by the impertinent artefact. He smiled bashfully at Draco, before returning to the storage room. He grabbed a newer Sneakoscope which started howling an infernal noise.

Harry covered his ears. _No wonder the things go off like mad. After all, Draco's here. Reckon there isn't anyone more sneaky,_ thought Harry fondly. Then he chastised himself for his uncharitable thoughts.  _I should think about how this sneakiness of Draco's impacts the greater good._

Draco shrugged at Mr. Dervish and turned to the door.

The owner tugged the strings of his smock. "I'm sorry the Sneakoscopes didn't work. They're supposed to be attuned to any level of conspiracy."

Harry nodded heartily at that; Mad-Eye Moody had always complained that the dratted things went off when he was near Dung Fletcher.

"I've heard that you've a deft hand regarding magical objects, Mr Malfoy, is it true?"

Draco blushed and nodded reluctantly; his trying days when he repaired the Vanishing Cabinet were not amongst his shining moments, though when he worked hard he had managed to forget for a moment the threats looming over him.

"I'd like to offer you employment; a partnership if you will," said the owner, his shining pate reflecting the light of the lonely sconce. "I'll retire in a few years and I've no one to continue my work."

Dervish scowled at the window and the busy street outside the shop.

 "Hardly anyone cares about magical machines these days," he said in a gruff voice. "They prefer Muggle ones or they expect the magical ones to run forever."

Draco nodded uncertainly.

Dervish looked at him piercingly. "Been looking for someone like you, handy and curious. You don't have to answer right now." He fingered his smock and regarded the Slytherin with a pensive expression. "You could give me your answer before you leave Hogwarts."

Draco smirked briefly as he vigorously shook Dervish's hand.

\--

The two students walked in silence towards the other end of High Street, Harry's gaze straying towards the gaily decorated shops and houses lining the street. _I reckon people don't compliment Draco often, and when they do, it's because he's rich. Just like my fans don't thank me for who I am, rather because I'm the Saviour._  

Harry snorted and Draco looked at him, lifting an eyebrow inquiringly. The Gryffindor shrugged nonchalantly. Passing Hogsmeade Station, they started talking about their prospective wives under the Marriage Law.

"I'm not too keen on marrying Ginny," said Harry with a heartfelt sigh. "But what can I do? It's what the people expect; I have to sacrifice myself for the greater good, you know."

Draco rolled his eyes at that. Harry was a bit too much.

"I don't fancy Lavender much." Draco scrunched up his face. "She swooned after the Weasel, for Merlin's sake!"

The Slytherin reclined against a tree and propped up his right foot, unaware of Harry's hungry gaze. "Who would you marry if you had a free hand, Potter?"

Harry crossed his hands behind his back and gazed at the copse of trees behind which the castle that was his home waited for him.  "Don't know yet, Malfoy."  He worried his bottom lip, unaware of Draco's lust-filled gaze at his innocent gesture.

"Come on, spill it!"

"If I had the choice I'd prefer a wizard rather than a witch, if you catch my drift."  Harry looked shyly at Draco, blushing a deep red.

Draco crossed his arms and smirked, his blond hair glimmering in the sunlight. "So would I, Potter."

Harry nervously hefted the plastic bag which held his new vest, feeling dizzy; his eyes sparkled at the news that he was not alone in this because the sexy Slytherin had the same orientation.

Draco seized the chance. He stalked towards Harry, leaning forward to brush his chin with a feathery kiss.  At Harry's heartfelt groan, he yanked Harry towards him by his scarlet Gryffindor tie, staring at him with eyes darkened with lust.

Harry's lips felt as soft as they looked, mused Draco before he lost coherency at the sensation of the soft lips, mixed with Harry's cologne and the scent of freshly mown grass he always associated with Quidditch and chasing after Harry.   

Harry had no qualms to open his mouth when Draco's tongue brushed against his lips. The tongue which explored him trembled as it snaked his way inside. Harry was so consumed by the kiss, he didn't have time to ponder if it was wet or soft.

Ginny had felt soft and tender, but Draco was harsh and unrelenting in this heated pursuit of pleasure. There was a care in the way he wrapped his hands around the nape of Harry's neck and gently pulled him forward, though, a tentativeness in his kiss that bespoke tenderness.  

Harry's body felt heavy and his limbs moved as if in a dream as they fought to slake that thirst he had endured for years. He pinned Draco against the birch which supported his slender frame and answered the Slytherin's erotic attack, rubbing his hands against the rough wool as he tried to snake his hand beneath those dratted robes.

Draco freed himself and pulled Harry against the rough bark of the birch, and it was Harry's turn to be manhandled into the grass.

 

 


	6. Chapter six

 

Arriving at Hogwarts, Draco frowned and turned to look at Harry. "I have to visit with Justin."

Harry's grip on Draco's wrist made the blond wince, and Draco hastened to add, "Head business, I'm afraid. Our friend Susan will be there."

Having said goodbye to Harry, Draco was nursing his wrist as he made his way to the Hufflepuff Common Room. He smelled Ginny's distinctive perfume and he trotted upstairs, to catch up with her.

Ginny glanced back at him. "Oi, Malfoy."

"Ginevra." Draco bowed at her, his blond hair limned by the light coming from the windows. "Hermione."

"Draco," Hermione said, sticking her hands in the pockets of her robes.

"Won't you come with me to visit the Heads?"

"Sure," Ginny said, clutching her wand in case Peeves decided to prank them. She was of a mind to use the spell George had taught her on the ghost, if ever he decided to upend a cauldron filled with squirmy fishes on her again.

They found Justin sitting behind his oak desk; the scratchy sound of his quill scribbling on a parchment oddly soothing.

 "Hello!" said the curly-haired Hufflepuff, cocking his head at the chairs whilst he signed the parchment with a flourish. "Won't you take a seat?"

Justin put the parchment aside and looked up. "Dad tells me the vote’s going to be close, much closer than we expected. The Commons are baffled..." He scowled fiercely. "... about this Bill that supposedly deals with _pureblood_ horses. They don’t understand why Parliament has to deal with animal breeding."  
  
Draco nonchalantly picked up the parchment and studied it as Justin glared at him.

Then the door creaked open and Susan Bones strolled in, nervously brushing her braids. "Sorry I’m late." The Head Girl sat on the desk, ignoring Justin’s indignant huff.  "Had to deal with a pair of Gryffindor first years pranking their Slytherin counterparts."

Justin glanced slyly at Draco and muttered. "Some things never change."

Ginny smirked whilst she elbowed Hermione. "You can say that again!"

 "Whatever. I was talking about the Law, Suze." Justin shook his head, disregarding the slight frown that marred the features of the Head Girl. "The vote will be close but this may work in our favour. My father told me the Queen's Bench has been apprised of the loathsome behaviour extended towards Her Majesty's loyal subjects."

Noticing Hermione’s baffled look, Justin hastened to explain, "They function like the district attorney, as the prosecutors for the Crown."

Hermione crossed her arms and huffed. "I’m well aware of that, Justin! I watch the same TV shows, you know!"

The Head Boy shrugged. "Sorry. Anyway, the Bench will start researching and calling witnesses on Monday."

"Time’s against us, though." Susan toyed with her plaited hair. "Soon we _shall have to marry_ or lose our magic. I wish there was something I could do."

Right then a metaphorical light bulb went on in Hermione's head. "Wait a second! I have the perfect solution to foil their plans!"

Turning to the Slytherin, she looked at him enquiringly. "First I need to know this, Draco, can you access Snape's potions room?"

He nodded nonchalantly, wanting to hear Hermione’s plan. "What does that have to do with anything?" The witch had a keen mind, as Draco had found to his chagrin many times.

Hermione smiled winsomely. "We will brew a batch of Polyjuice Potion."

Ginny lifted an eyebrow and gazed at her friend; she’d heard of the time Harry and Ron entered the Slytherin common room disguised as Crabbe and Goyle. Perhaps Hermione was right and that would work?

 "We’ll use it to disguise ourselves in our marriage ceremony." Hermione waxed enthusiastic. "So Draco could be wed to whomever he wanted." She gazed sharply at them. "And you would do the same, of course."

Susan shook her head in confusion, she didn't quite understand Hermione’s plan.

The Gryffindor girl went on, "This would defeat the purpose of that stupid Law. Faced with the ruins of their plans, the government will have to let us marry whom we choose!"  

Draco fought to keep a serious face. "You don’t understand the seriousness of the magical government, Granger." He sat up and leaned towards the brunette. "To start with, we simply can't deceive them by changing our appearance. We’d have to circumvent the marriage vows, and that's impossible."

Ginny held up her hand, interrupting Draco. "This has happened often before, Mione. Dad told me the authorities tightened the vows so that the magical signatures of anyone who swears the marriage vows match, and that can’t be faked!"  

"For the marriage to be sanctioned I would have to be wed to Lavender Brown - my magical signature would have to agree with my name." Draco stood up and walked around the ample room, stopping to caress the ornate Ming vase which Justin told him came from his father's estate. "If I married under Polyjuice, they would know because the magic of the vows would fail to appear."

"That's so unfair!" Hermione ruffled her bushy hair.

Meanwhile, Draco paced around the room, his robes swishing as he mussed his hair in desperation. "Tell me, Hermione, have you wondered why Severus needed to learn magical distillation in order to finish the Serpent's Map?"

Hermione shook her head. Actually, this was a point that had been bothering her. She wanted to know more about that process, but she was quite busy finding loopholes in the fight against the pesky Marriage Law.

"As you know, distillation is the physical process in which two or more liquids are separated according to their different boiling points," Draco said. "You heat them up until one boils and is condensed elsewhere. You've managed something quite hard, the separation of the liquids without actually touching them."

 _Of course I know all that, I learned it when you were a child, hiding from hippogriffs or whatever._ Hermione glared at Draco.

"Distillation is useful in potions, too. Except when the liquids are so fragile that any heat directly applied would cause their magical essence to fail." Draco’s face lit up, talking about a subject he was keenly interested on. "Like unicorn tears, dragon's blood, or basilisk's blood."

"Will you get to the point, Malfoy?" muttered Ginny, crossing her arms. Draco was just like Bill when he talked about his dragons.

"In a moment, Ginevra." The Slytherin scowled at her. "This hampered potion-making for several hundred years, until the enterprising alchemists of the Imperial court, led by Flamel, thought about _magical_ distillation. This is simply the separation of liquids based on their magical properties. When Severus read their notes, he had a conceptual breakthrough."

Draco stopped for a moment to collect his thoughts. "If magical distillation worked with liquids, could it work with magical symbols?"

Seeing the puzzled faces of his classmates, Draco tried to find the words to make them understand. "What I mean is - could Severus distil the magic emitted by certain objects?"

Hermione brushed aside a lock of her hair, glancing down at the parchment on the desk whilst she imagined it was the Serpent’s Map. "I take it that Snape created a potion which could distil magic and used it on the parchment?"

"Something like that," answered Draco. "His potion impregnating the parchment simplified the magical gradient of the area displayed. So instead of dealing with the confusing ambient magic, the Serpent's Map shows only certain features. For instance, it shows the blood status and position of the person – this cannot be evaded by the magic of a wizard."

Realising the import of the Slytherin’s words, Hermione sighed dejectedly. "So the Map displays the magical signature and cannot be fooled. The Ministry must have something like that."

"They have something more terrifying," said Draco with a shudder. "Father’s told me about it."  

His voice acquired a tinge of despair when he remembered his grandfather’s will. Only _lawfully_ wedded Malfoys could inherit. "Deep inside the Department of Mysteries there is a room."

Hannah Abbott shivered, wrapping her robes tightly around her slim frame at the note of despair in Draco's voice. Susan touched her elbow gently, lending silent support as they listened to Draco.

"It’s well protected and only selected people approved by the current Minister of Magic can enter." Draco toyed absently with Justin’s quill. "Inside the room there is a huge map of Britain."

"Percy mentioned something about it, before he remembered he was working for the almighty Fudge and shut up." Ginny glanced at the door.

"They say that knowledge is power." Draco sighed as he put the quill upon the parchment. "Ancient cultures believed that to divulge a name needlessly was a foolish thing to do."

He gazed at the shiny surface of the Ming vase, weighing his words. "After a magical baby has been christened, a dot representing that person appears in the Situation Map in the Department of Mysteries. It never goes away until the person dies."

"Never?" Hermione said, her voice uncharacteristically small.

Draco looked at her searchingly, lifting an eyebrow.

Hermione winced at Draco's bereft and woebegone expression.  

"Have you ever wondered why Tom Marvolo Riddle changed his name?" Draco waved his arms. "Why did he change it to ' _I am Lord Voldemort'_ with _exactly_ the same letters?"

He hefted Justin’s quill and pointed the nub at Hermione. "You know that the arithmantic value of a name is of the utmost importance magically."

Hermione nodded, suddenly chilled by the turn of  the conversation.

"By changing his name and yet retaining its arithmantic value." Draco opened his fingers and the quill fell softly on the desk. "Voldemort disappeared from the Situation Map. One of the reasons he wanted control over the Ministry was so he could use the Map’s magical properties to pinpoint the location of the people that uttered his name."

Hermione shuddered, recalling the time the Snatchers caught them after Harry spoke Voldemort’s name, and the harrowing time she spent at the Manor.

"Our magical signature is represented in the Situation Room," said Draco with a defeated sigh as he sat down. "We cannot change it unless we changed our names and convinced people to call us differently."

Draco slouched in his chair and looked at the stone wall with a weary look. "That’s why we cannot escape our fate with magic. The person that designed this plan is brilliant. We _must_ get help from the Muggles."

\--

In the Manor, Lucius was dining with his wife.

Narcissa glanced at the empty parchment at the end of the table. She was tired of writing to Andromeda and receiving no response. It would seem her attempts to get in touch with her only living sister were fated to remain futile. 

"I went shopping to Muggle London." She picked up her spoon and glanced at Lucius.

"Good to hear, dear."  Lucius grabbed the cane which had his new wand inside and used it to conjure a pot of tea. Whilst he was pouring Narcissa a cup, he lifted an eyebrow. "You seem distracted, Cissa."

 "I helped to get a magical child to the orphanage, Lucius!" Narcissa nodded her thanks and sipped her tea delicately. "These persons – a man and a woman who were her great-uncles - were treating the poor girl very harshly just because she 'made things happen.'"

Lucius nodded whilst he took a bite from the flambeau cake.

"I arranged for Miriam - the little angel - to go to St. Odile's Orphanage. I intend to visit her frequently. I hope she’ll find a good family." Narcissa shuddered delicately. After her family’s ordeal at the hands of Voldemort, she tried to help those she saw suffering.  

Knowing the temper of his wife, Lucius wondered how to raise the next topic. Finally, he said cautiously, "Do you mind if we have two guests for dinner tomorrow?"

Narcissa lifted an eyebrow enquiringly. Were they Lucius' former associates?

Glancing at Narcissa's frown, Lucius cringed inside - realising the nature of her worry about the visitors. Namely, whether they were former Death Eaters.

Lucius knew that his wife had all the right in the world to feel anxious, given what she and Draco endured in the past because of his unbridled ambition. He’d made a vow to himself to try to do the best for his family, and stay away from troublemakers.

"They are the Finch-Fletchleys," replied Lucius. "The parents of the Head Boy, Justin – that friend of Draco’s." He muttered hurriedly, "They’re also Muggles."

Narcissa gasped at that. It seemed strange that Lucius wanted to invite Muggles to the Manor. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense.

 Lucius had been following Abraxas’ insistent methods to attain power. Then he fell under the relentless drive to get more power, even if he had to bow to Voldemort. After the ordeal with the Death Eaters and the Final Battle; with the Dark Lord finally gone, Lucius was free - perhaps for the first time in decades - to do what he wanted.

Narcissa recalled Draco's letters. Justin had two Muggle parents; apparently, the father served the Muggle government in some capacity.

The corners of Narcissa's lips turned upward in a faint smirk at the hope that Lucius would meet someone that was as consumed by politics as he was. Maybe, just maybe, Lucius would learn that there are good Muggles.

She smiled tenderly, putting down the cup of tea. "I'd be happy to help, Lucius. What do you want to serve them? You'll have to modify the wards around the Manor so Muggles may enter."

She started formulating her plans for the soiree. "I think we'll use the oval parlour. I wish we could use _eleccity_ so we could watch those moving things on that strange box."

\--


End file.
